Assessment Brief – 2022/23

1. Assessment details

Course: BSc Biomedical Sciences Level: FHEQ 4 (year 1)

Assessment Block Code and Name: Assessment Title: Bioinformatics MCQ

BB1801 Research and Communication
Skills

Assessment Number: 4 Contribution to final assessment block mark: 15%

Word limit (if appropriate): NA Date set: Week 26

Submission / assessment date: Feedback return date:

Available after the last lecture given by Dr Feedback will be returned before noon on Wednesday of week 33 -
Morris on BB1719 and the work must be Wednesday 3rd May 2023
submitted on Brightspace before noon on
Wednesday of week 27 – Wednesday 22nd
March 2023.

Submission Type: Brightspace Assessment block coordinator: Dr Ruchira Mann – questions to Dr

Nick Morris (nicholas.morris@brunel.ac.uk)
1. Submission Instructions

1. The ‘Bioinformatics MCQ’ will be available on Brightspace in BB1801 the Assignments section.
2. Questions DO NOT have to be answered in one sitting.
3. Back-tracking to early questions is permitted.
4. Answers can be changed before the work is submitted.
5. The work has to be submitted on Brightspace before the deadline shown above.
6. Work is submitted by clicking on ‘Submit Quiz’ on Brightspace. Please do not attempt to submit
assignments by email or at the Taught Programmes Office (TPO), as these methods are not
permitted. If you are experiencing any difficulties submitting the assignment, contact the Module
Convenor/Leader or the TPO prior to the submission deadline.
7. Once you have clicked ‘Submit Quiz’, answers cannot be changed, and the work marked ‘as is’.
8. Your work should be saved automatically as you progress through the assessment.
9. It is your responsibility to keep an electronic copy of the assignment for future reference. You may
be required to produce a copy of your assignment.
10. You are reminded of Brunel University London regulations on Academic Misconduct
(https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/documents/pdf/Academic-Misconduct-Procedure-2021-01-
21.pdf). In submitting your assignment, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood
these regulations.
11. All submissions will be automatically screened for plagiarism of published literature (including the
student’s own work from previous assessments, which is unpermitted recycling of work), as well as
collusion between students. Although students are not expected to reference lecture material, they
are required to re-phrase it. Copying from either the lecture slides, notes, or other material provided
by the lecturers could result in a misconduct investigation for plagiarism. Students should refrain

1
 from working together in a deceitful way and should develop a submission that is restricted to their
own individual effort. For individual submissions copying or working together to produce a joint
piece of work is a form of cheating known as collusion. Sending screenshots (still or video) of work or
exam questions to another student during an exam counts as collusion; both the individual sending
the work and those receiving it could face a misconduct investigation and are also very likely to be
penalised. Allowing a piece of work to be copied is a breach of Senate Regulation 6. Submitting work
produced by another person (sometimes called contract cheating – see SR6) as your own is also a
form of collusion and is not permitted. Where the authenticity of work is in doubt, any student may
be asked to attend a viva to demonstrate their knowledge of the work they have submitted.
12. Students are advised to read Brunel University London Policy for Coursework submission for further
information (https://students.brunel.ac.uk/documents/Policies/Coursework-Submission-Policy.pdf).

2. Learning outcomes assessed (from Assessment Block Outline)

Knowledge 1. Demonstrate proficient use of tools such as PubMed, BLAST, OMIM, Pfam, and
SMART.

Cognitive skills 1. Analyse and interpret data.

2. Ability to integrate knowledge and information gained from different sources to
address a specific question.

Other skills

2
3. Description of assessment task

1. Training material for the assessment is available on OneNote. A link to the training material will be available in
BB1719 in the taught material, and also in the assessment instructions in BB1801.
2. The ‘Bioinformatics MCQ’ will be available on Brightspace in BB1801 the Assignments section by the date and
time stated above.
3. The MCQ will consist of no more than 40 questions.
4. Questions will be in the format of – single correct best answer, multiple correct answers, matching lists, image
analysis and numerical input answers.
5. Questions will be based around the training and information in BB1719, but you will also need to use your
understanding of material delivered in other study blocks.
6. The questions will test your data analysis skills.
7. The questions will require an understanding and use of PubMed, BLAST, OMIM, Pfam, and SMART, plus any
other tools and systems as given in the training material.
8. Work will be marked electronically, and returned within 1 week of the submission date.
9. Each student will receive their own version of the assessment.

4. Understanding the assessment journey

Why is this an authentic assessment?

In line with the ethos of the Royal Society of Biology, all assessments in your course of studies are designed to
fulfil the criteria for an authentic assessment. This means that this assessment will mimic a real-life scenario
preparing you for future studies and future employment. In this specific case, you will be assessed on new skills
learnt in BB1719 that will enable you to find and analyse the most recent scientific findings on a particular topic.
These skills will be used throughout your degree and will be invaluable in any career that requires finding and
analysing biological data.

Relevant learning from previous assessments.

NA

How this assessment will prepare for future assessments.

The assessment will help prepare you for the rest of your course.

The bioinformatics skills you learn in BB1719, and are tested in BB1801, will be useful in all future study and
assessment blocks. For example, you will use PubMed in your study blocks to find additional reading. PubMed
will certainly be needed in BB2802 (Essay) and BB3091 (Final Year Project). Tools such as OMIM will be useful in
most study blocks, especially in BB2803 (case study), BB2804 (poster presentation) and BB3091 (Final Year
Project). Likewise with the other online tools you will be using.

3
5. Student support

Academic Support and ASK

The academic skills (ASK) services can help you improve your writing and presentation skills. If you think you
need help, don’t hesitate to ask them! They also have a large number of really good online resources, including
video tutorials, useful resources on the internet, quick guides and slides from their workshops. You can find it all
here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/study/academic-skills/home

Writing Fellows are professional writers who offer individual appointments to improve the writing of Brunel
students. These appointments are free, independent and confidential sessions where they can advise you about
your literature review. Our writing fellow is Bill Ryan and you can contact him via email at the following
address: william.ryan@rlfeducation.org.uk

Student Support and Welfare Team

The Student Support and Welfare Team are available to offer support and guidance on a range of personal,
welfare and financial issues. They are here to help you access support that is right for you; you can make
appointments through this team to access the Counselling and Mental Wellbeing Service, Disability and Dyslexia
Service and budgeting/money advice sessions.
• In person: Student Centre, Howell Building
• Email: studentsupport@brunel.ac.uk
• through this link: https://reportandsupport.brunel.ac.uk/

More information regarding student services and support can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU7IdFkXWP0&feature=youtu.be

6. Grading of the assessment

The assignment will be marked with reference to the guidance below, which describes our expectations in
relation to the assignment. For more information, please read Brunel University Undergraduate Grade
Descriptors (https://students.brunel.ac.uk/documents/Policies/Undergraduate-Grade-Descriptors.pdf).

7. Additional Information

NA

This assessment brief has been:

Name Date

Written by the assessment/assessment Dr Nick Morris Tuesday October 4, 2022

block coordinator

Checked and approved by the moderator NA

Approved by the Programme Lead/Level Dr Gudrun Stenbeck 07.10.2022

coordinator

4
5