Submitting work and accessing feedback

Most of your coursework (there are occasional exceptions for non-credit bearing formative work and special subject portfolio pieces, where your tutor will clarify what you need to do) is submitted via electronic submission and feedback software called Turnitin. You will find the Turnitin link to submit your work on the module page in Blackboard - follow the instructions here to upload and submit.

Read the History Hacks What to Expect from Feedback resource

See History Hacks guides to responding to common feedback

Feedback on your work is provided in various ways. Comments on your progress and how you might improve will often be given in the form of written feedback when your work is returned to you. Many tutors also arrange 'feedback sessions' which provide an opportunity on a one-to-one level to discuss oral presentations to the class or essay work. In addition, all tutors have weekly term-time student hours during which they are available to give feedback and discuss your academic progress.

Some generic points arising from coursework may be covered in general feedback to the class as a whole, by email, as part of seminar discussion that week, or delivered through Blackboard. Some tutors also use elements of peer-feedback and assessment in their teaching.

All feedback is most effective as part of a dialogue, so if there are things you want clarified or areas on which you would like more guidance, please do not feel shy about asking your tutor. Your academic tutor will be a good point of contact for discussing how to improve aspects of your academic performance. It may seem an obvious point to make, but make sure that you read the comments on your work, and don’t just look at the mark! Even a very good mark will normally be accompanied by suggestions for improvement and further development.

Consider logging your feedback so you can spot patterns and identify areas for improvement. Using the MySkills tool to keep a record of what you're doing well and what you want to work on can make for more productive discussions with your academic tutor. It can also give you a sense of your own personal development. 

Providing good feedback takes time but we will endeavour to get your work returned to you in a timely fashion.  We aim to return formative (not credit-bearing) written work within two weeks. Credit-bearing coursework will be returned after three weeks, which gives us time to mark and moderate while fulfilling our other duties. Work submitted in assessment periods will be released according to university timetables: typically March for semester 1 and July for semester 2. Where staff are unable to return feedback to you on time for any reason - e.g. illness - we will let you know.

There are two ways to access your grade: via the Grade Centre, or via the initial submission link. We recommend reopening your essay via the original submission link - your marker will have left feedback explaining how they decided on your mark, and may also have completed a rubric which breaks down the mark further. For instructions on accessing your feedback, please see this link.