Assessment and feedback at university

University assessment comes in many forms beyond the end-of-year exam, and the marks often look very different from school. Feedback is where most of the learning happens, but only if you read it and act on it. Planning your deadlines is covered in lesson sb-02; this lesson is about understanding and using the assessments themselves.

Formative and summative

• UCL defines formative assessment as work that does not count towards your final mark but gives you feedback on your progress.
• Summative assessment counts towards your final module mark (UCL).
• Many students skip formative tasks because 'they don't count'. That is a mistake: they are your free practice run before the work that does.
• UCL advises asking for formative feedback early, ideally within the first four weeks of a module.

The many types of assessment

• UCL lists common formats including essays, lab reports, group work, oral presentations, videos, worked problems, computer code, seminar contributions, posters and examinations.
• Each format has its own conventions. A lab report has fixed sections; an essay builds an argument; a presentation is judged partly on delivery and timing.
• Read the assessment brief in full on the day it is released. Highlight the word count, format, deadline, submission method and exactly what the question asks.
• Group work assessment is covered in lesson sb-05, and the rules on using AI tools are covered in the AI and Digital Skills module. Always check what your module allows.

Understanding marking criteria

• Marking criteria state what the assessor will be looking for in your work, and UCL says tutors must make sure you know the criteria and marking scales in advance.
• UK marks often look low compared with school. At Bristol and Loughborough, for example, 70 or above is first-class level and 40 is the lowest class boundary, so a 65 is a good mark.
• UCL notes that you should check whether marks are a grade or a percentage and whether the scale is limited.
• Before you submit, self-assess against the criteria, as UCL suggests: for each criterion, find the paragraph or section where you meet it.

Getting and reading your feedback

• UCL says you should receive feedback within one calendar month of the submission deadline, and if not, your module coordinator must contact you. Timescales differ at other universities, so check your handbook.
• Feedback is often released through the VLE. UCL's Moodle has a dashboard that shows grades and feedback in one place.
• Feedback is not only written comments. UCL lists lecture comments, seminar discussions, practice exercises, forum answers and conversations with peers as feedback too.
• Read it twice: once for the mark and the feelings, then a day later for the lessons.

Turning feedback into better marks

• Make a simple feedback log: date, module, mark, three comments, one action for next time. Look at it before you start every new assignment.
• Look for patterns across modules, for example 'needs more evidence' or 'structure unclear'. A repeated comment is your top priority.
• If something is unclear, UCL says to ask questions, and to talk to your module convenor or personal tutor if you need more guidance.
• Use a simple script: 'Thank you for the feedback on my essay. You noted my argument was not clear enough. Could you show me one place where I could have made it clearer?'
• Take a specific comment to your academic skills service for help (lesson sb-06).