1. Purpose/Abstract
The purpose of this policy is to set out the principles and expectations for anonymous and electronic marking (e-marking) on taught programmes.
2. Introduction
The Anonymous and E-Marking policies, first approved in 2019, have been merged into this single policy, which sets the expectations in relation to the marking process for summative assessment on all taught programmes. The policy exists to ensure that all assessments are conducted in a manner that promotes a sense of trust and fairness in the assessment process. This policy recognises the importance of addressing both the actual and perceived consequences of unconscious bias in the assessment process as one part of ensuring that assessment is as fair and transparent as possible.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all summative assessments submitted for a taught award of the University of Derby.
4. Definitions
Anonymous marking refers to the process of marking assessments such that the marker cannot identify the submitting student’s name without reference to central student records or other mechanism.
Electronic marking or E-marking refers to the methods whereby students’ work is digitally submitted, commented on, or annotated.
5. Policy Statement
5.1 Anonymous marking
Wherever possible, summative assessments must be anonymously marked, that is marked without the student’s name or identity being made known to the markers.
For those assessments where it is not reasonably possible to anonymise assessments, for example:
- Observed assessments: presentations, observed clinical skills assessments (OSCE), viva voce
- Skills or practically based assessments
- Performance activities
- Creative and artistic activities where the production of the work has been supervised by the first marker
- Portfolios of personal work and reflection evidencing attainment which would be difficult to anonymise
- Apprenticeship assessments where reflection on progress and / or KSB targets requires the marking process to be personalised
Steps should be taken to permit, wherever possible, for internal moderation to be completed anonymously.
To facilitate anonymous marking, all summative assignments (including written examinations) should be submitted using only a student’s registration number and should not include their name in any part of the submission.
Even in those circumstances (as outlined above) where the first marker may be able to identify the student who has submitted the work being assessed, the use of student numbers enables anonymity to extend to internal moderation processes and must therefore still be applied.
Work which is entirely formative need not be anonymised but can be if it is desirable, e.g., it enables anonymity of the summative submission.
Student names will be matched to student numbers only after completion of internal moderation. All members of staff must respect anonymity where it is employed and must not seek to identify any students prior to this point.
It is the responsibility of students to respect and enable anonymity in the assessment process where anonymous marking applies, and to actively engage in the preservation of the anonymity mechanisms provided to them.
In cases of suspected academic offence, de-anonymisation may take place earlier than at the point of internal moderation. Investigation of an academic offence must proceed as indicated in Academic Regulations: Part J Academic Misconduct without revealing the student’s identity until absolutely necessary.
5.2 Electronic marking
E-marking refers to the methods whereby a student’s work is digitally submitted, commented on, or annotated. The policy applies to all credit-bearing assignments (summative assessments) where practicable, on all taught undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
All coursework, including Independent Studies, dissertations, and projects, must be submitted electronically unless the file format or the design of the assessment task does not permit submission through an electronic system.
Where submissions are mixed in format, any component that can be submitted electronically must be.
Guidance on the process of electronic submission and marking, including guidance on processes in the event of technical difficulty, can be accessed via the SharePoint Assessment page.
Where assessments are not suitable for electronic submission full details of the required submission mode must be provided within the assessment brief.
Assessment briefs must inform students of the format of submission, i.e. file formats and number of documents to submit.
All assignments submitted electronically must be identified by student number in line with anonymous marking policy. Students must submit their student number within the assignment document and in the Submission title field to enable support to be provided if required.
It is the student’s responsibility to submit their work on time to the correct eSubmission point. In the event of technical difficulties students should access the Digital Assessment support pages for guidance.
All feedback should, where possible, be provided electronically. This is the case even where the work has not been submitted electronically. Feedback must consist of a highlighted rubric and additional feedback. The feedback format (written, video etc.) is the decision of the programme and module team.
The provisional grade and feedback must be returned to the student within 15 working days of the submission deadline in line with University expectations. Where a 15 working day return is not possible, such as in the assessment of final year extended projects, independent studies and dissertations, this must be stated clearly in the module handbook with the date of return.
Deadlines for electronic submission of assignments must be set to 12:00 (noon) UK time on the date of submission. If the course is delivered solely at an international partner institution, then local time rather than UK time can be used. Assignment deadlines must be set on dates where teaching would normally be happening and not during student vacation periods or on days when the University is closed e.g. Bank Holidays or over the Christmas and New Year period.
Marks release and feedback on assessments submitted and marked electronically must fall on University working days and between the hours of 0900 and 1600 to ensure students have opportunities to access relevant support should they need it. Feedback must not be released outside of these hours on weekdays, during weekends, out of semester dates, or on dates when the University is closed.
5. Policy Implementation
It is expected that e-marking is applied in every possible assessment scenario where an artefact of some kind is submitted for assessment in the Virtual Learning Environment.
6. Sanctions
Failure to comply with this policy may lead to the staff disciplinary procedure being invoked. This could result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
7. Related Documentation
Anonymous Marking and E-Marking Procedure
Staff SharePoint Assessment page
Student Digital Assessment support pages
8. Equality Analysis
An Equality Analysis was carried out in January 2024.