Assessment Policy

Approving authority

Academic Committee

Approval date

12 December 2013 (7/2013 meeting)

Advisor

Deputy Academic Registrar | Academic Services

academicservices-policy-group@griffith.edu.au | (07) 373 57726

Next scheduled review

2016

Document URL

http://policies.griffith.edu.au/pdf/Assessment Policy.pdf

TRIM document

2013/0006309

Description

This policy specifies the University's assessment philosophy and the general
principles that guide the University's assessment practices in all courses
regardless of campus, location, mode of offer and learning mode.

Related documents
Assessment Submission and Return Procedures
Assessment Types in Use at Griffith University
Reasonable Adjustments for Assessment - Students with Disabilities
Conflict of Interest Policy
End of Semester Centrally Administered Examination Policy and Procedures
Governance of Assessment and Academic Achievement Standards
Group Assessment, Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment Guidelines
Student Academic Misconduct Policy
Institutional Framework for Promoting Academic Integrity among Students
Standards for First Year Assessment
Practice Standards for On-line Learning Academic Misconduct Policy - Higher Degree Research Students
Invigilation of Examinations Policy
Calculation of Grade Point Average
Role of the Course Convenor
Role of the Program Convenor
[Philosophy of Assessment] [Roles] [The Assessment Plan for a Course] [Moderation Processes]
[Responsibilities of Examiners and Course Convenors] [Award of Overall Grades] [Resubmission of
Assessment] [Supplementary Assessment] [Special Consideration and Deferred Assessment] [Conduct of
Students in Examinations] [Cheating, Plagiarism] [Notification of Marks and Grades] [Appeals against
Award of Grade] [Disposal of Assessment Material]

1.

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment is the process of forming a judgment about the quality and extent of student
achievement or performance, and therefore by inference a judgment about the learning itself.
Assessment inevitably shapes the learning that takes place; that is, what students learn and how
they learn it should reflect closely the purposes and aims of the course of study.
The aims of assessment include:

improving the quality of the curriculum (courses and programs);

evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching process and facilitating continuing improvement;

improving and promoting subsequent learning through feedback that is clear, informative, timely
and relevant;

Assessment Policy

formally certifying achievements for external audiences; and

accountability to the University, accrediting bodies, employers and the wider community.

Assessment methods may take a variety of forms: the key criterion for choice among methods should
be appropriateness to the learning outcomes. Assessment should be criteria based rather than norm
referenced, and may include individual or collaborative achievement or both. The requirements for
learner success should be made clear, and the overall strategy should be to develop in students the
ability to evaluate the quality of their own work in order to equip them to function as professionals
with a commitment to life-long learning.
Assessment practices within the University are based on the general principles of criteria based
assessment. These are that the desired learning outcomes for a course of study are clearly specified;
assessment tasks are designed to indicate progress towards the desired learning outcomes; and the
assessment grade is a measure of the extent to which the learning outcomes have been achieved.
The standard of performance that is required for the award of a particular grade is a judgment that is
based on the professional expertise of the various staff who contribute to the assessment process
and is informed by experience with accepted standards, including, where appropriate, standards in
other institutions. There is no pre-determined distribution of grades as the outcome of assessing a
group of students.
Assessment of student learning is facilitated by systems using technology for the purpose of
constructing, delivering, storing, comparing and reporting student assessment tasks, responses,
grades and feedback. Such systems are used to diversify the types of assessment tasks, broaden
the range of skills assessed, assure comparability of assessment standards and consistency in
achievement outcomes and provide students with more timely and informative feedback on their
progress. Technology may also facilitate the timely and efficient administration of student
applications and decisions relating to assessment.

2.

ROLES
Refer to the University's Governance of Assessment and Academic Achievement Standards
procedure.

3.

THE ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR A COURSE

Student learning is gradual and cumulative, with qualitative changes taking place throughout the
process. For this reason, the assessment plan for a course should enable the teaching staff to
engage in both formative and summative assessment. Academic staff responsible for a course
exercise their professional judgement in using a variety of assessment methods that are relevant,
valid, fair and appropriate to the aims and objectives of the course. Convenors of first year
undergraduate courses and program convenors are to be guided in the development of assessment
plans and the management of assessment tasks by the Standards for First Year Assessment.
3.1

Assessment Methods, Types and Tasks

There are four methods of assessment commonly used at the University and five broad
assessment types:

Examinations: selected and /or constructed response, practical and oral examinations;
Assignments: written, planning, problem-solving, reports, research-based, practicebased;
Assessment based on observation or record of practice;
Assessment based on performance, presentation, creation or discussion; and
Assessment based on research (eg theses).

Within each broad assessment type a number of detailed assessment types are used in
course assessment plans and these are specified in Assessment Types in Use at Griffith
University. A range of assessment types are to be used in a courses assessment plan to
assess the range of course and program learning outcomes. A number of assessment types

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may be integrated into a single assessment task or each assessment task may be
representative of a single assessment type.
Assessment tasks are to be equivalent when the course is offered on more than one campus
or in more than one learning mode (such as in person, print materials, in field and online).
Equivalence does not require the tasks to be identical, they may be adapted to suit the needs
of campuses or modes of study, but they are required to be similar in complexity and nature,
and assess the intended learning outcomes of the course.
The assessment plan for a course in the Course Profile provides a summary of both formative
and summative assessment tasks in the course, including the assessment type, number,
weighting, the due date, the assessment and marking criteria for each item of assessment. No
course grade is to be determined solely by using a single summative item or a single form of
assessment. A dissertation, or other large forms of assessment (e.g. designs and inquiry
based projects), are considered to be equivalent to multiple forms of assessment, however,
large items
of
summative
assessment
should
incorporate
interim
formative
assessment opportunities. Assessment should normally be spread across the teaching period,
to provide time for students to respond to feedback from early assessment items. This is
essential in first year undergraduate courses.
The assessment plan also specifies how individual assessment tasks are to be conducted for
example in person in a designated examination centre or facilitated through information and
communication technologies (ICT). Assessment plays a central role in student learning
whatever the type or mode and the relationship between the purpose of the assessment tasks
and the intended learning outcomes of the course is to be clearly outlined in the assessment
plan.
Examinations for summative purposes are to be invigilated in accordance with the Invigilation
of Examinations Policy. Tests or quizzes may be administered regularly throughout the course
for formative purposes to provide students with practice and feedback on their learning or used
summatively to contribute a small percentage towards the final grade. These may not require
supervision by teaching staff or an invigilator. Tests or quizzes that are not invigilated shall
contribute no more in total than 20% of the marks towards the final grade.
3.2

Approval of the Assessment Plan

The assessment plan for a course is documented in the submission for approval of the course
(the Course Profile). In approving the course for offer, the relevant Dean (Learning and
Teaching) shall have regard to the relationship between the assessment methods,
assessment tasks and the learning outcomes expected for the course.

3.3

Choice of Assessment Tasks

Where considered to be appropriate, students may be offered a choice of assessment tasks
from a specified range. The range of assessment tasks shall be specified in the Course
Profile. In such cases the assessment requirements should be discussed with students. The
assessment tasks for each student should be negotiated between the lecturer and the student
and, as soon as is practicable, should be documented in the form of a contract between the
lecturer and the student as to the assessment tasks to be performed and the expected
learning outcomes for the course.

3.4

Changes to the Assessment Plan

Proposals to alter the assessment plan of a course should be made to the Dean (Learning and
Teaching) prior to the next scheduled offering of the course by the academic staff responsible
for teaching the course by lodging a revised Course Profile. The Dean (Learning and
Teaching) shall determine whether the proposed revised assessment plan is consistent with
the originally approved assessment plan in its relationship to learning outcomes and its overall
demands on the students.

3.5

Advice to Students
The Course Convenor is required to provide all students with the approved Course Profile
which states the assessment plan for the course, including the due dates of assessment tasks
and relevant characteristics such as word lengths for essays or duration for examinations. The
Course Profile must state the criteria against which individual assessment tasks are judged

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and their relative weighting. The Course Profile must also indicate the way in which the
assessment of individual assessment tasks are combined to give an overall grade.
The Course Profile is normally provided to students on the University's web site, in which case
the Course Convenor should ensure that all students are advised of the location of the Course
Profile at the commencement of the course.
3.6

Responsibility of Students to Ascertain the Assessment Plan

Where a student enrols in a course after the commencement of teaching or for whatever
reason is not present when students are given information concerning the assessment plan of
the course, it is the student's responsibility to ascertain the information from the Course
Convenor.

3.7

Change of Assessment Plan During a Semester

In exceptional cases, the Dean (Learning and Teaching), on the advice of the Course
Convenor, may approve a variation of detail in the assessment plan of a course, providing any
such variation maintains the relationship between the assessment methods and the learning
outcomes expected for the course. Notification of the change to the assessment plan must be
provided to students in written and/or electronic form. In giving approval for the change, the
Dean must be satisfied that students are not disadvantaged by the change or the timing of the
change.

4.

MODERATION PROCESSES
Consensus moderation processes are used to develop a common disciplinary understanding of the
course standards that underpin comparability and ensure consistency of marking. One or more of the
following approaches to moderation are conducted every time a course is offered:

Course level planning e.g. self and peers (internal or external to the course) review the
assessment plan to ensure the assessment regime and tasks are appropriate to the learning
objectives of the course (Refer Section 3.2).

Individual student work e.g. examiners (internal or external to the course) develop and use
marking guides/rubrics specifying predetermined criteria so the bases for marking are consistent
and communicated to both students and examiners.

Recommended course grades e.g. examiners (internal or external to the course) review
assessment exemplars across different grades at the end of a course to assure consistency of
assessment judgements.

Course standards over time e.g. examiners (internal or external to the course) review
assessment exemplars and marks awarded to current students with those awarded for
comparable exemplars from previous course offerings.

Cognate courses e.g. Griffith colleagues, colleagues external to the University or through
professional accreditation processes, review marks and/or grades awarded to assessment
exemplars to assure comparability of course standards within the degree program, across the
qualification level and across like programs offered by other providers.

The Course Convenor documents the moderation process with the teaching team, in conjunction with
the recommended grades, for consideration by the School Assessment Board.

5.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF EXAMINERS AND COURSE CONVENORS

Course Convenors are responsible for conveying to students clear advice about the aims and
objectives of the course, the assessment requirements, the relationship between the assessment
methods and the expected learning outcomes, the criteria against which individual assessment tasks
are judged and their relative weight.
Examiners are required to provide feedback to students on their performance in assessment tasks
conducted during the semester. Examiners should give guidance to students and comment on work

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presented for assessment during the semester by written comments or other suitable means.
Examiners should be prepared to discuss with students their performance in an examination. For
courses, in which there is an end of semester exam, the timing of the exam may mean that students
are unable to obtain their examination mark prior to receiving their final grade. Students may, within
10 working days of being notified of their grades, on request and under supervision of the Course
Convenor, peruse their marked end of semester examination paper.
For online courses, until technical means to ensure the identity of the student are available,
examinations are to be invigilated.
5.1

Attendance during an Invigilated Examination

Regardless of whether the invigilator for an examination is a University staff member, a
postgraduate student, or a paid invigilator, the Course Convenor or nominee must be present
in the examination room 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the examination and for the
first 15 minutes of the examination, except where the examination is conducted at a remote
location. In this case, the Course Convenor or nominee must be available by telephone for the
period 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the examination and for the first 15 minutes
of the examination.
It is desirable that the Course Convenor be able to be contacted by telephone throughout the
duration of the examination.
In a team teaching situation where different examiners contribute to assessment in a course,
the Course Convenor is responsible for ensuring that appropriate moderation processes are in
place.
The Course Convenor recommends grades to the School Assessment Board.
The Course Convenor is responsible for ensuring that a final grade is recommended for all
students enrolled in the course. The final grade is required to be recommended by August 31
in the case of grades applicable to semester 1, and March 31 in the following year in the case
of grades applicable to semester 2 and May 31 in the case of grades applicable to the summer
semester.

6.

AWARD OF OVERALL GRADES

During the semester, individual examiners communicate their evaluations of individual assessment
tasks to students with reference to the criteria against which performance has been assessed. A
mark is an indicator of the standard of the students' academic achievement in an individual
assessment task.
The use of the grading nomenclature (4, 5, 6 & 7 etc.) in evaluating individual assessment tasks is
not permitted since this may curtail the ability of the Dean (Learning and Teaching) to exercise
discretion in the award of the overall grade.
A grade is the result that students receive in a course through the process of aggregating and
weighting the marks achieved in individual assessment tasks. The overall grade is awarded by the
relevant Dean (Learning and Teaching), and signifies the student's overall performance in the
course.
Students' grades in courses are recorded using the following:
7 - High Distinction - Student demonstrated an exceptionally high quality of performance or
standard of learning achievement.
6 - Distinction - Student demonstrated a high quality of performance or standard of learning
achievement.
5 - Credit - Student demonstrated a good quality of performance or standard of learning
achievement.
4 - Pass - Student demonstrated a satisfactory quality of performance or standard of
learning achievement.

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3 - Fail - Student demonstrated an unsatisfactory quality of performance or standard of

learning achievement. There was evidence of achievement of desired learning outcomes
close to the passing standard but insufficient to pass.
2 - Fail - Student demonstrated an unsatisfactory quality of performance or standard of
learning achievement. There was evidence of achievement of desired learning outcomes
below the passing standard.
1- Fail - Student demonstrated an unsatisfactory quality of performance or standard of
learning achievement. There was evidence of achievement of desired learning outcomes
significantly below the passing standard.
Students grades in courses may also be recorded using the Non-graded Pass (NGP) grading basis
of Pass/Not Pass where successful completion of a course is assessed on a pass/fail basis.
Other grades that may be awarded are:

Fail No Assessment Submitted (FNS) - Did not present any work for assessment, to be counted
as failure:

Withdraw with failure (WF) - Cancelled enrolment in the course after the final date for withdrawal
without failure (Refer Student Administration Policy, Section 7):

Withdraw (W) - The student has withdrawn from the course. This is NOT counted as failure and
appears beside the course on the academic record when the withdrawal from the course is
processed administratively after the last date to drop a course without being liable for fees, up
until the final date for withdrawal without failure.

6.1

Marks and Grade Cut-Offs

Course Convenors and examiners are not required to include marks as part of their
recommended grade, with the exception of Honours courses where percentage marks are
required to be awarded as these are used as the basis of the Honours classification. Where
marks are allocated to individual assessment tasks in order to facilitate the combination of the
assessment of individual tasks to arrive at an overall grade, the Course Convenor
recommends the "Grade Cut-offs" as the manner of recommending the students' grades. The
School Assessment Board may vary the grade cut-offs and/or the grades recommended by
the Course Convenor. Where the grade cut-offs and/or grades are varied by the School
Assessment Board, the Course Convenor will be consulted.
Because grade cut-offs may be varied from the standard grade cut-offs by the School
Assessment Board, students must not be advised that a course will have pre-determined
grade cut-offs.

7.

RESUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT
The opportunity to resubmit assessment tasks nominated by the Course Convenor, in consultation
with the Program Convenor, may be available within specified courses for the purpose of academic
recovery.
Resubmission is where a student is permitted to make substantial changes to a nominated
assessment task which they have failed, within a specified timeframe for re-examination by the
original examiner to achieve a mark no greater than the minimum for a pass standard for the
assessment task. Resubmission is not to be offered for research projects or dissertations.
The Course Profile is to specify the assessment task for which resubmission may be available and
the conditions under which the Course Convenor may ask for the task to be resubmitted. The Course
Convenor, following consultation with the Program Convenor, is responsible for awarding students
the opportunity to resubmit an assessment task and advises the student of the decision on return of
the assessment task. The student has five working days from return of the assessment task to
resubmit for re-examination. Only one opportunity to resubmit the assessment task is to be awarded.

Assessment Policy

8.

SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENT
Supplementary assessment is a new item of assessment designed to provide the students with
additional time for private study followed by the opportunity to demonstrate successful achievement
of the major learning outcomes of the course.
Supplementary assessment is not available in Honours programs or in other programs where the
program requirements indicate that no supplementary assessment may be granted. For courses
where supplementary assessment is not available the Course Convenor must identify this clearly in
the course profile. For courses in which supplementary assessment is available the Course Profile is
to state that a Pass mark must be achieved in the supplementary assessment item or exam to
achieve the grade of 4.
Supplementary assessment may be awarded by the Dean (Learning and Teaching) or their delegate,
to a student, who having submitted all the assessment requirements of the course:

receives a grade of 3 in a course or achieves in a non-graded course an overall percentage

between 45 and 49%; or

achieves an overall percentage equivalent to the grade of 3 or higher but has not achieved a
pass or required minimum mark in one or more mandatory pass components of the course; and

has undertaken supplementary assessment in usually no more than four (4) courses in a 320CP
program (and a consequent pro rata limitation depending on the total CP of the program).

The award of supplementary assessment is the decision of the Dean (Learning and Teaching) or
their delegate on the basis of the above conditions. A student is allowed only one attempt at each
supplementary assessment item. Students awarded a deferred examination are not eligible for a
supplementary examination as a significant concession has already been provided in the granting of
a deferred examination.
The supplementary assessment item is limited to an assessment component or components that
have been failed (including mandatory pass components). The supplementary assessment item is to
assure achievement of the same areas of skill and depth of knowledge as the original assessment
item/s to determine that the student would be worthy of a pass mark. The supplementary
assessment item is not required to take the same form as the original assessment item. The
supplementary assessment item is to be new and substantially different in its detail from the original
(e.g. use different exam questions). To achieve a Pass grade for the course a pass mark for the
supplementary assessment item must be achieved.
A student who gains a Pass mark for the supplementary assessment item is awarded a grade for the
course no higher than 4. Where a Pass mark is not achieved for the supplementary assessment item
the original grade of 3 for the course will remain.
Pending the notification of the result achieved in supplementary assessment tasks or examinations,
the student's academic record shall show, for each course in which a supplementary assessment
item is being attempted, the code SUP (central supplementary examination) or SSP (school based
supplementary assessment/exam) or SSP (school supplementary assessment).
Students awarded a central supplementary exam shall receive email notification from Exams and
Timetabling in Student Administration. As a general rule, central supplementary examinations are
held in the designated deferred/supplementary examination periods as advised on the University's
academic calendar.
Students awarded another form of supplementary assessment or a school-based supplementary
exam shall receive notification of the form and timing of the supplementary assessment item from the
School.

9.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION AND DEFERRED ASSESSMENT

9.1

Special Consideration
The Chair, School Assessment Board may extend special consideration to a student in any
course and in respect of any assessment item.

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9.1.1

Students may apply for special consideration if:

their performance in an assessment item was seriously affected, or

they were seriously disadvantaged when the assessment item was attempted,

on the grounds of illness, accident, disability, bereavement or other compassionate

circumstances.
An application for special consideration is applicable only where the assessment item
or examination has been attempted. Where the student is unable to attempt the
assessment item or examination, the student may apply for deferred assessment
(Refer Section 9.3) or an extension of time to submit an assignment.
9.1.2

Requests for special consideration must be submitted online and accompanied by

appropriate documentary evidence (Refer Section 9.4).
Requests for special consideration for an assessment item e.g. examination or
assignment must be submitted online no later than 3 working days after the date of the
examination or due date of the assessment item.. Requests for special consideration
in respect of performance across all assessment tasks in a course must be submitted
online no later than 3 working days after the date of the final examination or
assessment item.

9.1.3

Form of Special Consideration

In response to an application for special consideration, the Chair, School Assessment
Board may take one or more of the following options:

9.2

take no action;

provide for an extension of time in which to complete an assessment item;

award a final grade on the basis of the student's performance across the course;

provide another assessment task. This may be either an alternative assessment

task or a replacement assessment task. An alternative assessment task provides
an opportunity for the student to demonstrate learning outcomes similar to those
related to the original assessment task; for example, an oral examination may take
the place of a written examination. A replacement assessment task is one that
resembles as closely as possible the original assessment item and carries the
same percentage of total weighting for the course;

recommend to the Director, Student Administration that the student be granted

withdrawal without failure on compassionate grounds.

Submission of Assessment Tasks - Extensions and Penalties

Refer to the University's Assessment Submission and Return Procedures.

9.3

Deferred Assessment
9.3.1

Students may apply for deferred assessment if they were prevented from performing
an assessment item, such as an examination, test, seminar presentation, or other
assessment activity scheduled for a particular date. The following would generally be
considered acceptable grounds to approve a deferred assessment:

on the grounds of illness;

accident;

temporary disability;

bereavement;

sporting or cultural commitment at state, national or international representative

level. Students applying for a deferred examination for this reason may also apply
for an alternate sitting (refer to End of Semester Examinations Policy and
Procedures, Section 12.0);

or other compassionate circumstances (for example, death of a family member or

close relative, serious illness of a family member or close relative, involvement in

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an accident where this does not involve injury, significant and unexpected
employment problems or pressures, significant relationship problems).
Approval to sit a deferred examination will not be granted where students could
reasonably have been expected to avoid the circumstances of missing or performing
poorly in an examination. The following would generally be considered unacceptable
grounds to approve a deferred examination:

misreading an examination timetable;

applications submitted after the 3 working days deadline (Refer Section 9.3.2);

holiday arrangements, including for international travel. Booking a plane ticket

prior to the end of semester examination period is not considered an adequate
reason for a deferred examination;

sporting or cultural commitment, other than at state, national or international

representative level;

Applications may be rejected if there is reason to believe that a student is seeking to

achieve an unfair advantage through deferred assessment. This judgement may be
based on the particular circumstances of the application together with the student's
academic record and history of deferred examination applications.
Where a student is prevented from attending an examination for other reasons that
are specified in the End of Semester Examinations Policy and Procedures the student
may apply for an alternative sitting.
9.3.2

Requests for deferred assessment must be submitted online and accompanied by

appropriate documentary evidence. (Refer Section 9.4) Requests for deferred
assessment e.g. examination or assignment must be submitted online no later than 3
working days after the date pertinent to the assessment item.

9.3.3

Approval of Deferred Assessment

Applications for deferred examinations for central and end of semester examinations
shall be considered by the Senior Manager, Examinations and Timetabling or nominee
who approves or rejects the application.
Application for all other deferred examinations, including school-based examinations,
shall be considered by the Course Convenor or nominee who approves or rejects the
application. The Course Convenor notifies the Chair, School Assessment Board of the
outcome of the deferred assessment application.

9.3.4

Form of Deferred Assessment

Where the Chair, School Assessment Board grants a student deferred assessment,
this normally takes the form of a replacement assessment item or examination, in
which case, the replacement assessment item should resemble as closely as possible
the original assessment item or examination and should carry the same percentage of
total weighting for the course.
In exceptional cases, the Chair, School Assessment Board may respond to an
application for deferred assessment by giving special consideration through one or
more of the actions described in 9.1.3.

9.3.5
9.4

Documentation required to support an Application for Special Consideration, Extension

or Deferred Assessment.
9.4.1

A student who is granted deferred assessment in a course is eligible for the full range
of grades available for that course.

Students applying for deferred assessment or special consideration on medical

grounds must submit the Griffith University Student Medical Certificate, completed by
a registered medical or dental practitioner stating
i.

the date on which the practitioner examined the student;

ii.

the severity and duration of the complaint;

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iii.

the practitioner's opinion of the effect of the complaint on the student's ability to
undertake the assessment item.

Where it is not practicable for the student to submit a Griffith University Student
Medical Certificate, a certificate from a registered medical or dental practitioner may
be accepted, provided that the certificate is an original copy and that the certificate
contains information equivalent to that contained in the Griffith University Student
Medical Certificate.
A statement that the student was "not fit for duty" or was suffering from "a medical
condition" will not be accepted unless the information required in (i), (ii) and (iii) above
is included.
9.4.2

Students applying for Special Consideration, Extension or Deferred Assessment on

other grounds must submit suitable documentary evidence, such as a bereavement
notice, letter from employer, practitioner or professional, statutory declaration, copy of
accident report.

9.4.3

Following submission of a completed application for Special Consideration Extension

or Deferred Assessment and its consideration by the approving authority the student
will be notified of the outcome. The method used to notify the student depends on the
type of application submitted.

9.4.4

Students who feel that their case for Special Consideration, Extension or Deferred
Assessment has been wrongly dismissed by the Course Convenor or Senior Manager,
Examinations and Timetabling or nominee may appeal in writing against that decision
within 10 working days of notification to the Dean (Learning and Teaching).The
decision of the Dean is final.

9.4.5

Further deferment of deferred examinations and supplementary examinations is NOT

possible. Students have already been given a significant concession in being awarded
a deferred or supplementary examination. Students who are still unable to sit their
deferred or supplementary examination because of exceptional circumstances may
apply to withdraw after the census date due to special circumstances.

10. CONDUCT OF STUDENTS IN INVIGILATED EXAMINATIONS

Invigilators shall have and may exercise all such powers as are reasonably necessary to ensure the
proper and efficient conduct of the examination.
If invigilators detect student behaviour that could be construed as cheating or other misconduct they
may ask the student concerned to move to another position or, in the event that the student is
creating a disturbance, ask the student to desist. If the student fails to comply, the invigilator may
require the student to leave the examination room. Immediately following the conclusion of the
examination, the invigilator shall make an incident report that includes evidence of alleged cheating
or other misconduct. The Senior Manager, Examinations and Timetabling conveys the incident report
to the Course Convenor who takes action according to the Student Academic Misconduct Policy.
10.1 Resource Materials in Examinations
Students may, under certain conditions, be permitted to use resource materials during an
examination, such as dictionaries, including English-foreign language dictionaries and
electronic dictionaries, calculators, text books, reference books, student notes. The Course
Convenor is required to specify the resource materials that will be permitted in an examination.
This information must be advised to students in writing prior to the examination and must also
be provided to students in the examination room. A discrepancy between the information on
permissible resource materials that has been conveyed to students prior to the examination
and in the examination is grounds for appeal by students.
It is the responsibility of the Course Convenor or nominee to ensure that the materials brought
in to the examination room by students conform to the specifications of permissible resource
materials. This may be done prior to the examination or during the examination.

10

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Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, special arrangements may be made for
students with disabilities, as provided for in the University's policy on Reasonable Adjustments
for Assessment - Students with Disabilities.

11. CHEATING, PLAGIARISM

Refer to the University's Student Academic Misconduct Policy.

12. NOTIFICATION OF MARKS AND GRADES

Examiners are responsible for recording the marks of all students enrolled in a course for each
assessment task in one place but students are to have access only to their individual marks and not
to the marks of other students, other than for group assignments.
Students' marks should normally be published in 'My Marks' on Learning@Griffith.
Marks for individual assessment tasks should not be posted in public places (i.e. hallways, on office
doors or non-secure websites), and neither the student's name nor student's ID number are to be
published. Any publication of marks must not occur in a manner that allows a student's name to be
associated with a mark, other than by the student concerned.
Following approval of grades by the Dean (Learning and Teaching), students are notified of their
grades by the following means:

publication on the University's web site, accessible to the student with appropriate security
measures.

Grades that are unfinalised or unavailable at the time of the general release of grades must be
finalised by August 31 in the case of grades applicable to semester 1, and March 31 of the following
year in the case of grades applicable to semester 2 and May 31 in the case of grades applicable to
summer semester. Grades that are unfinalised by these dates are converted to a Fail (F), unless the
Dean (Learning and Teaching) gives approval for the finalisation of the grade to be held over to some
later date specified when the approval is given. UNF (Unfinalised) is entered on the transcript for
approved late finalisation of grades.

13. APPEALS AGAINST AWARD OF FINAL GRADE

Students are encouraged to discuss with academic staff their performance in assessment tasks
during a course.
Where a student believes that an error has been made or an injustice done in respect of the grade
awarded (Refer Section 6 for the list of grades) for a course, the student may request a review of the
grade. This request must a) be made in writing on the appropriate form
b) state the grounds for the review request
c) be lodged with a Student Administration Centre within 10 working days of the date on which
student grades are posted on the University's web site.
All requests for review of grade shall be dealt with by the relevant Chair, School Assessment Board
who shall seek the advice of the relevant Course Convenor.
Students will normally be notified of the outcome of the requested review of grade within 10 working
days of receipt of the request by the Chair, School Assessment Board.
A student who is dissatisfied with the outcome of the review of grade may lodge a formal appeal to
the Dean (Learning and Teaching) within 10 working days of notification of the outcome of the review
of grade (refer to Student Grievances and Appeals Policy).

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Assessment Policy

14. DISPOSAL OF ASSESSMENT MATERIAL

Refer to the University's Assessment Submission and Return Procedures.

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Assessment Policy