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Our modules are assessed by various formats. Assessment could be in the form of an in-person unseen invigilated exam, a 24-hour online exam or a piece of a coursework.
Each online exam will remain open for 24 hours, even though we only expect you to spend around two hours on any one paper. This is to try to ensure that everyone is able to access the exam, even if their working conditions are not ideal.
Examinations - General Information
Examinations - General Information
There are three periods of examination each year:
Autumn semester exams (in January/February)
Spring semester exams (in May/June)
Resit exams (in August)
A module is normally examined in the same semester that it was taught, although resits for all modules, regardless of semester, occur in the August resit period (NB there is no resit period for Level 3 modules because only students who fail their degree would be eligible to resit any failed modules).
Clashes in exam timetable
Clashes in exam timetable
You must report any clashes in your examinations that you find in the draft timetable by completing an Examination Clash Form, available from : www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/forms/exam.
The final timetable will be published towards the end of each semester on the SSiD web site: https://students.sheffield.ac.uk/exams/timetables
You should note carefully the date, time and venue of any examinations relating to modules for which you are registered. Please note that misreading your exam timetable will not be accepted as extenuating circusmstances.
Resit examinations for both semesters take place in August. If you are required to resit an examination then you will be notified of this when you check your results online. Applications for resits can only take place once the semester two results are released.
The date, time and venue of all the exams are displayed on the University’s Examinations Office webpages. Your contract with the University requires you to be available in August for resit examinations, if necessary.
Forms of assessment
Forms of assessment
There are three basic forms of assessment: unseen examinations, online 'open book' examinations and coursework assessments.
Unseen invigilated examinations
Assessment formats for all modules in 2023-24 can be found within the relevant Blackboard sites.
Most of the Psychology modules within the first and second year of the undergraduate degree will be assessed by a combination of Multiple Choice (MCQ) Exams and Coursework. The exception to this is the Research Methods modules (PSY1005 & PSY2005) which are assessed by Online 'Open Book' exams and Coursework.
Level 1 Guidance and Information on in-person MCQ exams in Psychology
Level 2 Guidance and Information on in-person MCQ exams in Psychology
Online 'Open Book' exams
These take place in the three-week ‘assessment period’ at the end of each of the two semesters.
Some Psychology modules within the undergraduate degree will be assessed by 24-hour online 'open book' examinations.
Advice on how to prepare for open-book online exams can be found below:
Level 1 Advice on Preparing for Open-book online exams
Level 2 Advice on Preparing for Open-book online exams
Level 3 Advice on Preparing for Open-book online exams
Coursework assessments
Coursework assessments usually take place during the twelve-week teaching period in each semester.
The type of coursework assessment is different for each module and could constitute, for example, of writing an essay, lab report, blog post, presenting a poster or seminar presentation.
Before formal submission of coursework, module coordinators will give advice on preparation of the work before it is submitted. They will not, however, comment on full drafts of essays intended for subsequent formal presentation.
Level 1 and 2 assessment deadline and feedback dates can be found through this link. For level 3 assessment deadlines, please see the appropriate blackboard sites.
The University's principles and criteria guilding assessment at Sheffield can be found here. This link takes you to the General Regulations, where there is important information about degree classification calculations and any additional requirements students must meet for the award of degrees. You are strongly advised to review the information.
Rules on invigilated examinations are available from the appropriate Faculty Office and are also posted outside each examination hall during the examination period. Rules are also available via Blackboard.
Marking
Marking
The university uses the 100-pt marking scale for all exams, essay or dissertation-based forms of assessment. The marking scale can be accessed here
The marking period includes 2 weeks of marking by the markers assigned to the module, and 1 week of moderation by the module organiser. During moderation, the module organiser has sight of the original marks and reads a sample number of scripts to confirm. Any disagreements are discussed between the two markers who then generate agreed marks. Moderation is performed to assure consistency across all markers.
The Examinations Officer moderates unresolved disagreements or else appoints a moderator. Full records of the moderated marks are maintained for the Board of Examiners.
Exam Support Adjustments (ESA)
Exam Support Adjustments (ESA)
Students with extenuating circumstances that require extra time, e.g. students with dyslexia, a broken wrist etc. or a visual impairment should contact the Disability and Dyslexia Service prior to the exam period. The relevant information will then be relayed to the central administration’s Examinations Office (located on Level 6 of the Student Union Building) who will make the appropriate arrangements required.
Yellow Sticker system for students with dyslexic/SpLD – Students who have been diagnosed and registered with the University’s Disability and Dyslexia Service will be given stickers to place on exam scripts (and told to mark electronic submission coversheets with a ‘D’) to inform the marker that the assessment was produced by a student with dyslexia or another SpLD. Students will not expect their work to be marked differently, rather the sticker will help raise awareness of the incidence of dyslexia or SpLD in the student cohort and provide staff with the opportunity to adapt any formative feedback to these students. Further information is available from:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/sss/disability/stickers
Students with exam arrangements and 24-hour online exams - With a 24-hour window to produce the work, all students – including disabled students – should have enough time to demonstrate what they know to the fullest extent (as well as pacing their efforts) without the need for additional extra time or rest breaks.
Further information on this can be found on the following DDSS webpage:
The University’s 301 Academic Skills Hub has a guidance webpage which provides an overview of the different kinds of assessments commonly used and how to prepare for these.
NON-INVIGILATED EXAMINATIONS
NON-INVIGILATED EXAMINATIONS
The University requires the Department to inform students of the following rules, which relate to non-invigilated examinations (i.e. extended essays, practical project reports and dissertations):
1. Candidates are required to observe conditions laid down by each department in respect of the submission of their material for examination purposes. These conditions may include date and place of the submission of the material, number of copies required, method of presentation (e.g. typewritten) and any other special requirements.
2. Candidates are required to submit their own original work. Where other material is used, they must state the sources from which the information is derived and the extent to which they have availed themselves of the work of others.
3. Any candidate who appears to be using or to have used unfair means will be reported to the Registrar and Secretary and disciplinary action may ensue.
Marks from all forms of assessment are considered at the Department’s Examination Board which meets at the end of each semester. The results must then be approved by the Senate. At the end of each semester you will be able to access a transcript of your results from the University, usually in early March and July via ‘MyResults’ in MUSE. If you have to resit examinations in August, results will be published via MUSE in September. Further information on accessing your exam results can be found here
EXTERNAL EXAMINERS
All undergraduate assessment is overseen by two independent external examiners appointed from separate institutions. External examiners check the standard of marking and assessment across the breadth of our degree programme. The current externals for Psychology are:
Dr Jamie Ward, University of Sussex
Dr Nick Barraclough, York University
It is not appropriate for students to contact our external examiners directly. All appeals regarding assessment marks should be lodged formally. The University's appeals form can be found here.
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