Appendix 1: Glossary of terms used in the Policy on Feedback to Students
Formative assessment: Assessment that does not contribute to the final mark of a unit. Formative assessment focuses on measuring progress to date and feedback on formative assessments should enable the recipient to develop and improve before completing summative assessments.
Formative Feedback: Feedback that enables the recipient to develop and improve with the unit and/ or programme of study
Summative assessment: Assessment that contributes to the final mark of a unit. Summative assessment can include both coursework and examinations. The completion of all required elements of summative assessments normally indicates the end of a unit of study.
Coursework: Assignments completed and marked outside of examination conditions which may or may not contribute to the final mark of a unit. Types of coursework include essays, report, in-class tests, laboratory work, projects, dissertations, practical work, and presentations.
Assessed Coursework: Coursework which contributes to the final mark of a unit.
Academic Advisor: The member of academic staff who has responsibility for providing academic development guidance to a specific student or group of students. Each student should be informed of the named individual who is their academic advisor
Grade Descriptor: Description of the learning processes and outcomes demonstrated by a student in order to attain a particular grade.
Constructive criticism: Feedback designed to enable an individual to understand and learn from their mistakes and to build on demonstrated strengths.
Working day: Monday to Friday excluding student vacation periods and University examination periods.
Vertical curriculum planning: Structuring the curriculum to ensure that units at higher levels build on the skills and knowledge acquired at the lower levels. Clear and transparent vertical planning can help students to make informed choices about their curriculum pathway.
Horizontal curriculum planning: Planning the curriculum to ensure that there is minimal duplication between units at the same level and that connections are made between content and skills acquisition in different units within the same broad programme of study to enable students to have a clear understanding of the structure of their programme of study. This includes planning important dates with the academic year to avoid unnecessary clashes in the submission of assessed coursework.
