ST.

JOSEPH UNIVERSITY IN TANZANIA

(SJUIT)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

0
 Assignment Policy and Procedure
(April, 2016)

For
ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY IN TANZANIA
(Run by the Sisters of Daughters of Mary Immaculate and Collaborators)
P. O. Box 11007, Plot no. 113, Kibamba “B” Mbezi Luguruni,
Morogoro Road, Dar es- Salaam, Tanzania, +255 741 757 010, 784 757 010
www.stjosephtanzania.com , www.dmiafrica.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------- 02

2.0 Purpose -------------------------------------------------------------------- 02

3.0 Assignments Type ----------------------------------------------------------- 03

3.1 Essay Writing ----------------------------------------------------------- 03
3.2 Report Writing ----------------------------------------------------------- 03

1
 3.3 Reviews ----------------------------------------------------------- 04
3.4 Case Studies ----------------------------------------------------------- 05
3.5 Other Types ----------------------------------------------------------- 06

4.0 Formatting and Presenting Your Assignments ------------------------------- 06

4.1 Presenting assignments - looks do matter! ----------------------- 06
4.2 Formatting and Layout ----------------------------------------- 07
4.3 Guidelines for Soft Copies ----------------------------------------- 09
4.4 Guidelines for Hard Copies ----------------------------------------- 09
4.5 Guidelines for Assignments ----------------------------------------- 09

5.0 Tips on Writing Assignments -------------------------------------------------- 11

5.1 Literature Study ----------------------------------------------------------- 11
5.2 The steps you need to take when preparing your assignment are ---- 12
5.3 Characteristics of Effective Assignments / Activities -------------- 13

6.0 Evaluation and Feedback from the Lecturers -------------------------------- 14

6.1 Quality and Standards in Assessment -------------------------------- 16
6.2 Feedback to support learning ----------------------------------------- 16

7.0 Guidelines for Faculty on Assignment Ideas --------------------------------` 16

7.1 Faculty Guidance on Assignment Writing ----------------------- 16
7.2 Selection and content of Assignments ----------------------- 17
7.3 Specifications for Writing the Assignment ----------------------- 17
7.4 Guidelines for Making Writing Assignments
Announcing the Assignment ----------------------- 17
7.5 Providing Meaningful Feedback to Students ----------------------- 18
7.6 Maintaining Grading Consistency -------------------------------- 18
7.7 Minimizing Student Complaints about Grading ----------------------- 18

8.0 Plagiarism -------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

9.0 Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

Appendix 1: Assignment Cover page / Front Sheet

Appendix 2: Assignment Feedback Form

Appendix 3: Application for Extension Approval / Assessment Absence

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Writing assignments and homework are two of the most common ways in which
instructors give students an opportunity to develop, apply and demonstrate new knowledge.
These assignments can take many forms: short papers, research papers, problem sets, lab
reports, and so forth. Such assignments are also an important means of summative
assessment, providing us with grades that we hope reflect students’ level of effort and
learning.

Assignments and homework are an important part of the learning process. Therefore, they
deserve a fair degree of attention on the part if you hope to make your course a valuable

2
 learning experience. The basics of preparing and presenting homework and writing
assignments are discussed clearly.

In spite of all kinds of electronic developments in the field of science and especially in the
field of tertiary education, the written word still remains the single most important form for
the obtaining, processing and transferring of knowledge Without the ability to write
clearly, logically and effectively, you cannot claim to have mastered the art of scientific
writing to the full. For this reason it is important that you develop this skill to the best of
your ability. Particularly during undergraduate studies and postgraduate studies, this skill is
developed through the writing of assignments.

The aim of giving assignment will achieve and enhance:

 Your knowledge about a topic will be broadened;
 Gains experience in the process of doing research;
 Ability to formulate and write improves immensely.

The ability to write a good assignment is not something that happens automatically. This is
a skill that is inculcated through regular practice and a deliberate effort to keep on
evaluating your work against the stated criteria and to improve what was done incorrectly.
It is in support of this process that this manual has been developed.

2.0 PURPOSE
Following completion of this guide you should have a good idea of the value and
procedures of a systematic literature study and be able to apply it to assignments in all
your subjects.

You should be able to

 To explain the key characteristics of effective writing assignments in university
level studies.
 To give annotated examples of both effective and ineffective writing
 To offer advice about the processes of preparing written assignments
 To write an assignment with an introduction and conclusion once the information
processing has been done meaningfully.
 To describe the processing of information and illustrate this with your own
examples.
 To provide links to other information and resources

3.0 ASSIGNMENTS TYPES:

There are many possible types of written assignments that are set to assess learning in
subjects
1. Essay Writing
2. Report Writing
a. Technical Reports
b. Business Reports
c. Field Reports
d. Writing a Lab Report (Scientific)
3. Reviews

3
 4. Case Studies
5. Other Types

3.1 Essay Writing

An essay is a very common assignment type in University studies. The writing of essays is
very strongly associated with academic contexts of learning and assessment, although
essays are also a familiar genre in literature and literary fields of endeavour. Essays are
generally relatively short pieces (often 1,000 to 3,000 words although sometimes longer),
and are generally written on a topic on which the essay-writer expresses their own
argument or point of view.

The essay is a completely self-contained piece of writing which develops its argument
through to a logical conclusion. Essays do not normally use headings and sub-headings to
reveal their structure, although sometimes, especially in longer essay, a heading system can
be used. This means that the reader needs to read the essay all the way through to
understand the flow of the argument, rather than just dipping in to read particular sections
in the way one might read a report. Sometimes, however, a synopsis or abstract is required
to provide a map for the reader of what to expect in the essay.

The main purpose in writing an essay is to convince the reader that your position or point
of view is valid, well justified, and well-substantiated by relevant research. The process of
arguing the case to arrive at the conclusion is as important as the conclusion itself. The
evidence from scholarly literature, which is used to substantiate the argument, is woven
through the essay rather than being collected in a separate literature review section.

Writing essays tends to be seen by many students as being the most persistently difficult
type of writing in that the structure of an essay is not pre- ordained, in the way that
structure and sequence are more predictable for reports, case studies, etc.

3.2 Report Writing

Reports can serve many different purposes, but their basic purpose is to provide an
account of something, for example, of an event or a situation. The reports provide advice
and information designed to aid decision-making. There are many different types of
reports Technical Reports, Business Reports, Field Reports, Writing a Lab Report
(Scientific). In business settings the various business reports includes financial reports,
annual reports, feasibility reports, incident reports, impact reports, project reports,
research reports, and so on.

The common purpose of all reports is to present information. However, the type of reports
that you are required to write at the UTS Business School will almost always require more
than information. You will also need to analyse the information, and evaluate it using a
critical perspective. You may also need to identify problems and offer solutions, possibly
in the form of recommendations for action, and you might also be expected to speculate
about future trends and impacts.

Business reports are typically written for a non-academic readership, for example, in
professional settings for ‘insiders’ such as a company director/board or a committee, or for
‘outsiders’ such as a client or the general public. Some assignment tasks specify the

4
 intended reader(s), and this is an important clue to you in determining the style of report
required and the most appropriate structure and language to use.

However, it is important to keep in mind that your work will also be read by your marker,
and a very important purpose for writing the report is so that an assessment can be made of
your learning in the subject. Sometimes, your academic assessor will be more interested in
the academic research side of your report than your imagined readers would be in an
authentic business setting.

Reports of all types are typically structured using headings and sub-headings that make it
easy for the reader to understand the structure, and to selectively read sections of the whole
report rather than having to read the whole thing to make sense of it. In this way, a report is
very different from an essay because the reader can just dip in to read its sections.

Report-writing assignment tasks will normally specify the elements making up the required
report structure, although some elements are almost always present in all reports, in
particular an Executive Summary, Introduction, Discussion of key findings, and
Conclusion. However, the other elements in a report may vary according to its purpose. For
example, a report on an empirical research study you have undertaken may have its main
body framed in terms of its method, results, and discussion.

By contrast, a library-based research report may be framed in terms of a discussion of the

key findings from the literature and the implications for practitioners. It is therefore
important to check the requirements of your assignment task carefully.

3.3 Reviews
The process of reviewing the literature published in a particular field of enquiry is a
fundamental part of any scholarly academic work, from the first stages of starting an
undergraduate course through to the continuing work of expert researchers and scholars at
the leading edge of their field.

In the early stages of an undergraduate course, you might be asked to locate one or two
articles and critically review them. As your studies become more advanced, you might be
expected to critically review many different sources on a topic and identify where their
gaps and weaknesses are in order to justify that some research you are doing is worthwhile.
It is important to understand clearly what the mix of objectives is for undertaking a
literature review, but essentially there are two broad aspects:

 Reviewing published literature in order to discover (LEARNING)

 Writing a review of published literature in order to demonstrate and justify your point
of view (DEMONSTRATING YOUR UNDERSTANDING)

As you become more expert and a more autonomous researcher, your purposes in
reviewing the literature tend to move from telling, to transforming, and eventually to
extending knowledge.

Learning Demonstrating your Understanding

5
 To learn about knowledge in a To demonstrate that you understand what is
particular field. known in a particular field.
To learn who are the leaders in To acknowledge the work and achievements

Telling
generating knowledge. of others.
To discover how knowledge in a To explain how knowledge has been
particular field has been developed developed and accumulated over time.
and accumulated
To understand the differences in To explain how different pieces of research

Transforming
people’s explanations and are related.
interpretations.
To discover how others have made To replicate the approaches other people
their discoveries. have used in your own research.
To identify that is still unknown. To explain that there are gaps or weakness
in current knowledge.
To confirm that your own research is To explain how your research is justified as

Extending
worthwhile to do. needing to be done.
To identify which researchers to To present a deeper analysis and
contact for exchanging interpretation of your own research.

Literature reviews can constitute a whole written assignment in their own right, or they
might be a part of a bigger assignment.

3.4 Case Studies

A case study is a written factual account of a particular situation explaining the
development or history of that situation. Case study assignments are often used in
academic modules to give students a feel for both the complexities of the real world and
how the theories, models and research being studied can be used in practice. Generally
speaking, case study assignment tasks require you to do one of the following:

 To analyse a given case study which is given to you for the assignment task
 To research a particular problem or issue, using case studies that you find from the
published literature as examples to illustrate and analyse the problem
 To collect information for yourself inside a particular organization in order to prepare
a case study.

In some types of case study assignments, you might be given a particular question to
answer and your task would be to locate relevant cases that will shed light on the question.
In more advanced study and research programs, you may become the researcher observing
and recording the situation in an authentic business setting to develop up a new case study.
Whether the case study is given to you, or you have to develop the information for
yourself, the type of analysis conducted in a case study assignment follows much the same
course. The approach is to diagnose what the problems or issues in the case are, and why
they have occurred; to consider a variety of possible solutions; and finally to justify what
you believe to be the best solution. Effective case study written assignments demonstrate
clear and logical analysis of the particular case supported by relevant research to explain
the analysis and proposed solutions. The analysis of the case requires careful and critical
reading of all the details of the case. The research may include relevant theoretical
perspectives, published data, and information from industry. The written assignment for a
case study analysis is essentially a type of report. You will probably be given a required

6
 way of structuring the assignment. If not, a common structure for presenting a case study
assignment is:
 Introduction
 Outline of problems/issues in the case, their causes, and factors affecting the situation
 Relevant theories, concepts, models to help explain the case
 Implications of the problems/issues
 Possible alternatives to address the problems/issues
 Conclusions
 Recommended solutions and reasons for these
 Reference list
 Appendices

You may also be required to include an Executive Summary, Table of Contents, and
possibly other elements.

3.5 Other Types

Reflective Journals
A reflective journal is a personal record of your progress, your changes in thinking about a
subject or a topic. Although it’s a more informal style of writing than other academic
assignments, you might need to submit it for marking. Most journals require regular
entries, over a period of time. Your reflective journal can also be the basis of an essay or
report.

4.0 FORMATTING AND PRESENTING YOUR ASSIGNMENTS

Formatting and presenting your assignment correctly is important - this explains what this
means and how to do it.

4.1 Presenting assignments - looks do matter!

Good presentation really is important:
 The reality is that before lecturers read assignments, they’ve already formed an initial
impression based on appearance. And you want your assignment to create a
favourable first impression.
 Almost all assignments include marks for presentation – marks are given for aspects
such as formatting and layout, word count, APA referencing, writing style, grammar
and spelling. So if you get the presentation right, you can often pick up a few easy
marks.

4.2 Formatting and Layout

Assignments are either submitted online or electronically (a soft copy) or by post (a hard
copy).

Fonts
 Select a clear, readable, sans serif font such as Verdana, Calibri, Tahoma or Arial and
be consistent, i.e. stick to the same font throughout.
 Select black text on a white background. Avoid coloured backgrounds or text in a
colour other than black unless you have special permission to use them (e.g. if you're
dyslexic).
 Use a 12 or 14 point font for headings and 11 or 12 point for the body of your

7
 assignment.

Spacing
 Use 1.5 or double spacing and fairly wide margins (so that there’s room for the
marker’s comments).
 Leave a blank line between paragraphs.
 If the questions are short, leave a blank line between each question; if they are long,
start each question on a new page.
 Left-justify your work (also known as left-aligned, or flush left, ragged right); block-
justified (flush left and right) might look neat but it’s much harder to read as it can
result in gaps between words.

Headings
 Use bold for headings, not underlining or italics.
 Essays do not usually require subheadings; reports usually do.

Title page
 Most assignments require a title page. If you're not sure about this, call or email your
lecturer/tutor, or post to the course forum.
 Include the following information on the title page:
 The title and number of the assignment
 The course number and name
 The due date
 Your full name and student register number.
 Centre the information, starting approximately one third of the way down the page.
 Numbering
 Number all pages except the title page.
 Number your questions.
 Tables and figures must be numbered and clearly labelled. Note that:
 The caption for a table is placed above the table
 The caption for a figure goes below the figure.
 Don't number the items in a reference list.

Headers and footers

 Insert a header or footer on each page (except the title page).
 The header or footer should contain the following information:
 Your name (last name, first name/s)
 Student register number
 Course number
 The assignment number, and
 The page number.

Word count
 Include a word count (the number of words in your assignment).
 The title/title page, reference list and appendices are not included in the word count.

8
  Your assignment should be within 10% of the required number of words, i.e. not more
than 10% under or over the prescribed word count.
 Word count calculator - Massey University (opens in a new window)
 The word count is usually included directly after the assignment, i.e. before the
reference list or appendices.
 Microsoft Word can do the word count for you.
 How use the word count feature in MS Word - Office Blogs (video; opens in a new
window)

Reference list
 The reference list comes at the end of the assignment.
 Start the reference list on a new page.
 Label the page References.
 References are arranged alphabetically; they aren't numbered.
 For help with formatting individual items in a reference list, you need to decide whether
to use the Vancouver or Harvard format

Appendices
 Start each appendix (if applicable) on a new page.
 If there's just one appendix, label it Appendix, without a number.
 If there's more than one appendix, label them Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.
 In the main text, refer to the Appendix by the label, e.g. Appendix A.

Tops and bottoms of pages

 Check the top and bottom of your pages.
 Avoid
 Widows - single lines of text at the top of a page.
 Orphans - first lines of paragraphs at the bottom of a page.
 Tombstones - headings or subheadings alone at the bottom of a page.
 Split lists – lists that are divided between two pages. (This may not always be
possible)

4.3 Guidelines for soft copies (i.e. digital documents for electronic submission)
File format:
 Most assignments are written using MS Word or Open Office.
 Assignments can be submitted one of the following file
formats: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx.
 Do not submit html files, web pages, CAD files, Visio (.vsd), PowerPoint (.ppt),
PDF’s (.pdf) or zip files unless these are specifically required for a particular course.

4.4 Guidelines for hard copies (i.e. printed or hand-written documents for postal
submission)
Most of the guidelines above apply to hard copies as well. There are also a few additional
things to note:
Handwritten submissions

9
  Some courses allow handwritten answers – check first with your lecturer to make sure
this is acceptable.
 Write legibly: if a marker can’t read what you’ve written, your answer might as well
be wrong.
 If you make a mistake, use correction fluid (white-out or Twink) or draw a neat line
through the mistake.
 If there are too many mistakes and your work looks messy, rewrite it.
 Use a ruler for tables and graphs - remember, looks matter when it comes to
assignments and you want to create a good impression.

Pen and paper

 Print or write on white A4 paper; use one side only.
 Use a blue or black pen for handwritten answers; avoid other colours.
 Don't use pencil for writing assignments.

Headings
 Use bold for headings if your assignment is printed
 Underline headings if it’s handwritten – use a ruler, it looks neater.

Stapling your assignment

 Staple multi-page assignments in the top left corner only.
 Don’t put your assignment in a plastic folder, they’re slippery and difficult to handle.

4.5 Guidelines for Assignments

 Assignments constitute an important component of each course evaluation. Hence,
submission of assignments is compulsory. The Grade that you get in your
assignments will be counted in your final result.
 Assignments of a course carry 10% weightage given to the term-end examinations.
Therefore, you are advised to take your assignments seriously.
 You need to complete two assignments for each module in every semester. You will
not be allowed to appear for the term-end examination for any course if you do not
submit the assignments in time for that course.
 The main Objectives of the assignment are
 To have further understanding of the theories and concepts covered in the course
 To have an in-depth analysis and synthesis on the subject
 To help you to relate the theoretical inputs to field and job situation
Format
 Introduction
 Objectives of the assignment
 Details with subtopics
 Review of literature
 Analysis supplemented with case illustrations
 Summary and Conclusions
 References

Other guidelines for writing the assignments

 The study material given to you in the printed form will be helpful for writing the
assignments. However, your field experience and observations would add value to it.
Thus, combining conceptual aspects of the course with practical and field reflection
will ensure good outcome.

10
  Make sure that it is presented in logical and has clear connection between
paragraphs.
 Use only A 4 size paper for writing your assignments. Avoid using very thin paper.
Allow a 4 cm margin on the left. This may facilitate the evaluator to write useful
comments in the margins at appropriate places.
 Assignments can be submitted in your own handwriting or in typewritten form.
 Do not copy from the assignments of other candidates. If copying is noticed, the
assignments of candidates who has copied as well as who has written originally both
will be rejected.
 Write each assignment separately for each module.
 The completed assignment should be submitted to the Assessment teacher / module
teacher allotted to you.
 After submitting the assignments to Assessment teacher / module teacher get the
acknowledgment from them.
 For your own record retain a copy of acknowledgement for assignments which you
submit. This will help you to represent your case to the Deanin case any problem
arises.
 The Assignment topics can be obtained from the module teacher or may be
downloaded from the website.
 The assignments should be completed in all respects.

Note:
As submissions of assignments are prerequisite to appear for the examination, you have
to submit the assignment of each module on or before the examination of that particular
module.

Instructions for submitting the assignments

Write your Registration Number, Name, Programme Title, Module Code, Module Name,
Name of your Assignment, Signature and Date. The top of the first page of your
assignment sheet should look like as shown in Appendix 1:

5.0 TIPS ON WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

When it comes to writing assignments, it is difficult to find a conceptualized guide with
clear and simple tips that are easy to follow. That’s exactly what this guide will provide:
few simple tips on how to write great assignments, right when you need them. Some of
these points will probably be familiar to you, but there is no harm in being reminded of
the most important things before you start writing the assignments, which are usually
determining on your credits.

5.1 Literature Study

A literature study is the first step in the process of preparing an assignment, a small
research project in itself. A literature study is defined as a systematic, comprehensive
search for published material on a specific subject. However, the student should take note
that in addition to published material, any person who can supply factual material, any
person who can supply factual material, for example, can also serve as an important
information source. Students should make use of such sources whenever the opportunity

11
 presents itself, such as at discussion sessions and conferences during which subject
specialists provide recent information.

Landman points out that without a thorough literature study, on which adequate time has
been spent, the research work in question can only be considered superficial and naïve.
Concurring with this, De Wet, Monteith, Steyn and Venter call attention to the
importance of a well-planned and thorough literature study whereby a clear perspective of
the latest research results surroundings the specific subject can be obtained, as well as the
most appropriate research methods used, and the topicality of the research.

Broadly speaking, a literature study can be divided into two phases:

 The location of sources, and
 Giving sense and meaning to factual material.

Every student must be thoroughly conversant with the most important reference material
and information systems at his or her disposal, in order to be able to locate relevant
sources. The manner in which the student sorts through the literature is important to the
interpretation of factual material, and reading skills are essential here. These aspects are
explained in greater detail later.

5.1.1 Types of Information Sources

5.1.1,1 Human Information Sources

A human information source is someone possessing specialist knowledge, for
example a tutor, a researcher, or consultant. A register of experts at the University is
compiled annually, and serves as a useful accession aid.

5.1.1,2 Institutional Information Sources:

These are primary information sources and are generally published by national,
regional and local authorities. They include amongst other things official committee
proceedings and reports, statues, court decisions, annual reports.

5.1.1,3 Research and Development Reports:

Knowledge possessed by individuals in organizations such as tertiary institution, and
government departments can be accessed either from the individual, or from final
reports, interim reports, dissertation, and theses.

5.1.1,4 Journals:
Scientific journals are published periodically and usually contain specialist
information written and reviewed by experts. The articles normally comprise the
latest developments in a specific subject field and contain primary information.

5.1.1,5 Newspapers:
Newspapers generally provide recent information in all fields in the form of news
reports about local, national and international events. Their reliability must be
counterchecked against scientific research.

12
 5.1.1,6 Monographs and Textbooks:
Monographs contain information already published in other sources and are,
therefore, classified as secondary sources. Textbooks provide the status of
developments of a specific subject or topic and are considered very important
information sources for students.

5.1.1,7 Ready References Works:

Encyclopedia, statistical reviews, dictionaries, biographical sources, year-books,
almanacs, directories and atlases are all examples of references works.

5.1.1,8 Audio-Visual Material:

Increasingly, multi-media, videos and slide programmes are being used as
information channels.

5.1.1,9 Electronic Media:

Information, such as journal articles, can also be accesses via computers.

5.1.1,10 Cataloguing Aids for Information Retrieval:

Examples of these types of secondary information sources are bibliographies (also
accessible in electronic databases), indexes, and abstracting journals.

5.2 The steps you need to take when preparing your assignment are:
1. Read the question - you may find it helpful to rewrite the question in your own
words.
2. Check that you have read all parts of the question - is there different sub questions?
3. Check the assessment criteria - see the marking grid
4. Write a draft structure for your assignment, with key headings and a bullet point list
of all key points that you want to include in each section - in a logical order, so it
reads well - as if you were presenting the information (telling the story) to your
colleagues
5. Send a draft structure of the assignment to your tutor - this should be done 3 weeks
before the submission deadline, otherwise you will not get feedback in time. It
should not be longer than 2 pages. It should only include headings and key points in
each section - not full sentences.

6. For each section, think carefully about each ‘claim’ and what evidence you need to
back up these claims (see Evidence based section for top tips on how to do this)
7. Search the internet and module resources for evidence to support your claims
8. Keep a list of all references you use in the write format - you need to decide whether
to use the Vancouver or Harvard format
9. Next to each claim, write a sentence that summarizes the evidence and the reference
(name of author and year)
10. Write down 2 or more points about the limitations of each piece of evidence, and a
reflection of how that evidence might relate to your country
11. Repeat points 6-10 for each section

BEFORE you submit your assignment, please check that there is:
1. A word count at the beginning of the assignment
2. Title, introduction and conclusion
3. An answer to every question (and sub questions)

13
 4. A source of evidence for every claim. Re-read your text and underline all claims and
make sure there is evidence for each claim
5. All figures and tables have a reference
6. References for each piece of evidence - articles, websites and opinions. It should be
clear in the text what are your own thoughts and what are those of another person.
7. A reflection about the quality of each evidence source, and how this evidence might
apply to your country
8. A list of references at the end of the assignment
9. No plagiarism - direct copying and pasting of other people’s text that you did not
write. Use the Turnitin checker
10. A course cover sheet
11. A correct file name - should have the format "MODULE CODE" "REGISTER
NO" "DATE OF SUBMISSION" Resubmission, while a second resubmission will
have the file name "MODULE CODE" "REGISTER NO" "DATE OF
SUBMISSION" ”RS2”.

5.3 Characteristics of Effective Assignments/Activities?

 Has clearly stated goals/objectives
 Lack of a pre-determined outcome: you learn something new
 Personally relevant & memorable
 Uses real-time, current data
 Logistically do-able (for both students and instructor)
 Synthesizes prior information and concepts
 No clear right or wrong answer – open-ended
 Builds communication skills and self-confidence
 Support and feedback are provided in a timely fashion
 Involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data
 Fun
 Involves collaboration
 Students take away a new skill or product they may use later
 Involves kinesthetic learning
 Involves making observations of natural systems
 Involves reflection
 Relevant to course goals
6.0 EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK FROM THE LECTURERS
All assessment tasks in the University subjects are designed to encourage and support your
learning. The assessment of your work is carried out in accordance with the University
Policy for the Assessment of Coursework Subjects:

Assessment is based on criteria to determine whether you have achieved the learning
outcomes stated for each subject – this is called criterion- referenced assessment. Your
grades are based on your level of performance in achieving these outcomes. When your
lecturers/tutors mark your assignments, they make professional judgments about the level
of performance you have achieved, to decide whether it meets the expectations, or whether
it is above or below them.

The assessors look at various dimensions of your assignment to help determine what mark
to give your work overall. For example, your assignment might be strong in its structure
and its critical analytical approach, but it might be weak in its language choices, or its
grammatical accuracy or perhaps your assignment is well written and presented, but does

14
not actually address the topic/issue/question that was given.

The marker needs to take all dimensions into account in determining the grade. Also, the
marker will take into account the level at which you are studying, recognising that the
standard expected of written work increases as you advance in your studies. Here are some
examples of the kinds of dimensions that are typically used in assessing written
assignments. For each dimension, there are some examples of the questions that markers
might be asking as they are reading your work to determine your level of performance.
They will not just be asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’, but ‘how much’ and ‘how well’.

Assignments must be submitted by the due date. The only circumstance in which
assignments can be submitted late is if an extenuating circumstances form is submitted at
the same time. In these circumstances work may be submitted up to 1 weeks late only. If
the extenuating circumstances are upheld, the assignment will be graded, otherwise a ‘0’
will be awarded.

Maximum word length:

State the number of words used at the end of the assignment. You may include diagrams,
figures, appendices etc. without word penalty. A sliding scale of penalties for excess
length will be imposed. The penalties will be as follows:

1-10% excess no penalty

11-20% excess 10% reduction in the mark
21-30% excess 20% reduction in the mark
31%+ excess the work will be capped at a pass i.e. 40% or grade
point 4 out of 10.

NB. None of the above penalties will be used to change a student mark, which is above
the pass mark, to one that is below the pass mark. Therefore the maximum penalty for
exceeding the word limit will be a reduction to a pass grade.

The assignments will assess the following assessment criteria

Some Dimensions of Some Questions that Markers Might Ask

Assessment Criteria
Does the assignment address the topic that was set?

Does the assignment address the purpose that was set, for
Purpose example, to explain, to discuss, to evaluate, to recommend,
etc.?
Is there a clear statement of the assignment’s purpose or goals?

Are the ideas and information in the assignment relevant to the

topic?
Relevance
Are there other essential ideas and information, which are
missing from the assignment?

15
 Does the assignment provide evidence of critical analysis of the
Analytical and critical topic area?
perspective Does the assignment’s present a critical perspective or stance?

Is the supporting material used as evidence for the ideas and

Supporting evidence information relevant and appropriate?

Is evidence from other sources correctly acknowledged?

Is the assignment structured in appropriate sections and in a

logical sequence?
Structure and Is the logical structure clearly shown, for example, by the use
coherence of topic sentences and language showing relationships between
sections?
Is the writing style at an appropriate level of objectivity,
Language style formality and technicality for the assignment’s purpose and
audience?
Is the assignment written in grammatically accurate sentences?

Language accuracy Is the punctuation accurate and helpful to the meaning?

Is the spelling accurate?

Is the formatting of the assignment according to the stated

specifications, for example, section headings if appropriate,
correct word length?
Presentation
Are references to supporting material presented in an
appropriate and consistent style?
Is the presentation of the assignment professional and ‘reader-
friendly’?

6.1 Quality and Standards in Assessment

An important element of the assessment process is the maintenance of high standards of
academic quality, integrity and scholarship in work that is produced by students. Markers
therefore have a responsibility to check carefully any instances where they suspect that a
student may have acted dishonestly, for example, by plagiarising the ideas and/or words of
others.

When the marker is assessing your work, they may check its level of originality by
submitting it electronically to Software for checking Plagarism. This is done routinely with
all assignments in some subjects, or with a random selection of them, or might only be
done if the marker suspects some dishonesty.

Alternatively, a marker might simply copy phrases or paragraphs into a search engine such
as Google to search for an original source, or might compare the original source with the
student’s version to check that acknowledgements have been done with integrity.

Subject coordinators might also put in place special quality assurance processes such as

16
 comparing assignments between groups where there are multiple markers to crosscheck the
assessment standards but also to ensure the academic integrity of students’ submissions.

6.2 Feedback to support learning

As part of the assessment process, your lecturers/tutors will give you feedback on your
assignments designed to help you learn from the experience.

7.0 GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY ON ASSIGNMENT IDEAS

7.1 Faculty Guidance on Assignment Writing:

7.1.1 Depending on the programme the students are undertaking, and the stage they are at
within that programme, the expectations of the writing style will vary. Each course
within the department has a marking scheme, which sets out the criteria, which a
student must fulfill in order to reach a particular grade. Refer to individual Tutors or
lecturers for further details.

7.1.2 The areas considered when marking a piece of academic work include:
 Knowledge
 Comprehension
 Structure
 Application
 Analysis
 Synthesis
 Evaluation
 Language
 Referencing

7.1.3 Always ask the students to refer to the assignment guidelines given and for further
clarification students to contact the lecturer or supervisor for assistance if required.

7.2 Selection and content of Assignments

1. A list of topics/themes is enclosed for your reference. You have to select any one of
these for the assignment for each course based on your interest and its utility to your
work situation.
2. Read the selected assignments carefully and follow the guidelines given.
3. The content of the assignment should cover the importance of topic and relevance in
extension
4. It should also examine the various facets and components with specific details and
illustrations.
5. The content of the assignment should reflect your experiences in the application of
given theme in the developmental programmes
6. You should analyze and synthesize various facets on the topic and come out with
conclusions and suggestions to utilize the given concept/theme.
7. It should also reflect how an extension functionary can make use of the selected
theme in various contexts of the job situations.
8. It will be useful to highlight the various issues involved in the operationalisation of
the concept, wherever necessary.

17
 9. Ultimately, writing the assignments should help you to end up with an in-depth
understanding of the subject and also enhance your competencies to utilize the
concept/theme in effective management of developmental programmes.

7.3 Specifications for Writing the Assignment

1. The assignment should approximately of around 5000 words.
2. You should refer to various field study reports, annual reports, program evaluation
reports, observations of experts and other sources relevant to the assignment.
3. The list of references should be clearly quoted at the end of the assignment.

7.4 Guidelines for Making Writing Assignments Announcing the Assignment

1. Announce the date of first and final drafts in the course syllabus, with an indication
of who will respond to first drafts (i.e., peer groups, peer, TA, instructor).
2. Prepare a handout for each assignment and distribute it when you feel students
should begin work on the paper.
3. On the handout, specify topic, the type of paper you expect (e.g., report, research
review, argument) and the purpose of the assignment. Also tell the students why
you want them to do it.
4. Think about breaking the assignment into several steps. For example, if students are
completing a research proposal, ask them to submit a literature review and
statement of the problem their research will address before they write the proposal.
5. Specify the audience. Students’ classmates? Other group or person? You as reader
and collaborator? You as examiner? Will your role change with successive drafts?
(Tell them if it will).
6. Provide, if possible, criteria you will use in responding to first draft and in grading
the final draft. (The criteria could be slightly different for each draft.) You might,
for example, want to stress the importance of form and mechanics more on the final
draft than on the first.
7. Occasionally do an assignment yourself. You will have a clearer notion of the steps
required to complete the assignment and will be better able to advise the students
on the process of doing it.

8. Use part of a class period to discuss the assignment and answer questions students
might have.
9. Students appreciate seeing a model of the type of completed assignment you will
expect. Save papers from previous classes that you might share with them.
10. Take some class time for small group activity to encourage discussion and the
generation of ideas for the paper. Students might come to class with a brief
description of their proposed paper and share this in groups before working further
on it.

7.5 Providing Meaningful Feedback to Students

1. Use your comments to teach rather than to justify your grade, focusing on what
you’d most like students to address in future work.
2. Link your comments and feedback to the goals for an assignment.
3. Comment primarily on patterns — representative strengths and weaknesses.
4. Avoid over-commenting or “picking apart” students’ work.
5. In your final comments, ask questions that will guide further inquiry by students
rather than provide answers for them.

18
 6. Suggestions About Making Marginal and End Comments on Student Writing

7.6 Maintaining Grading Consistency

1. Communicate your grading policies, standards, and criteria to assessment tutors,
graders, and students in your course.
2. Discuss your expectations about all facets of grading (criteria, timeliness,
consistency, grade disputes, etc) with your tutorial assistants and assessment tutors.
3. Encourage tutorial assistants and assessment tutors to share grading concerns and
questions with you.
4. Use an appropriate group grading strategy:
5. Have tutorial assistants and assessment tutors grade assignments for students not in
their section or lab to curb favoritism (N.B. this strategy puts the emphasis on the
evaluative, rather than the teaching, function of grading);
6. Have each section of an exam graded by only one tutorial assistants and assessment
tutors to ensure consistency across the board;
7. Have tutorial assistants and assessment tutors grade student work at the same time
in the same place so they can compare their grades on certain sections and arrive at
consensus.

7.7 Minimizing Student Complaints about Grading

1. Include your grading policies, procedures, and standards in your syllabus.
2. Avoid modifying your policies, including those on late work, once you’ve
communicated them to students.
3. Distribute your grading criteria to students at the beginning of the term and remind
them of the relevant criteria when assigning and returning work.
4. Keep in-class discussion of grades to a minimum, focusing rather on course learning
goals.

8.0 PLAGIARISM

If you include other people's ideas in your work, without acknowledging the source, then
you are plagiarising. Plagiarism is the intentional presentation of someone else's work -
published or unpublished, either written or in some other form - as if it were your own.
Copying from an unacknowledged source, even if the original wording has been changed,
constitutes plagiarism. Where a verbatim quotation or paraphrase is included, it is not
sufficient to include at the end of your assignment a general list of works consulted. In
accordance with good academic practice, the source of each quotation or paraphrase must
be used.

If your work is accurately referenced then accidental plagiarism is avoidable. Lecturers

are advised to be vigilant in detecting possible cases of plagiarism. Any suspected cases
will be channeled through the formal Institute procedures. If a student is found guilty of
plagiarism serious penalties can occur. If you have any concern as to what constitutes
plagiarism please consult with your module leader.

19
 Plagiarism (the submission in whole or part of work not originating from the student)
will be dealt with through the formal Institute disciplinary procedures. If a case of
plagiarism occurs and the student is permitted to resubmit, a maximum of 40% will be
awarded.

9.0 CONCLUSION
The students faced with the task of creating scientific assignments should be given the
opportunity of dealing creatively with subject material. If an assignment is to be justified
in scientific fashion, prescribed criteria must be met. The aforementioned guidelines are
intended to provide University students with a framework within which assignments can
be prepared and written. Whilst bearing specific departmental instructions in mind,
students should at the very least give attention to the various facets covered in this
handbook. Students must also be tightly focused on what they wish to communicate
through an assignment, and how they intend to convey a particular message.

Appendix 1

ASSIGNMENT FRONT SHEET

<< NAME OF THE UNIVERSITY>>

<< DEPARTMENT>>

Module Code Number :

20
Module Name :

Semester :

Module Teacher :

Assessment Tutor :

Assessment Type :

Assessment Title :

Weighting :

Written by : <<Name of the

Student>>
<< Register No>>

Additional attachments : Yes / No

Date of issue: :

Submission Date with Time:

Appendix 2

Assignment Submission/Feedback Sheet

This section is to be completed by the student before submission. Use block capitals.

Student's Name:...............................................................................................................

Student Register No:................................

Module Code................................. Module Title :..........................................................................

Assignment Title :...........................................................................................................................

21
.........................................................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................................................
Date of Submission:................................................................................................

I confirm that the work submitted has been produced through my own efforts.

Student's Signature: ............................................................

Conditions:
1. There will be automatic deductions of 10% in the mark, which is 11 -20% over or under
the word limit, 20% in the deduction of mark, which is 21 -30% over or under the word
limit, the worked will be capped at pass for 31% over or under the word limit,
2. Errors in referencing will result in up to 10% deduction of marks or graded point 4 out of
10.
3. Plagiarism will be dealt with through the formal institute disciplinary procedures. If
permitted to resubmit, a maximum of 40% will be awarded ie graded point 4 out of 10.
4. Work not submitted on time without prior approval will be failed and a maximum mark
of 40% awarded for the resubmission. This Section may be used by tutor/lecturer for
General Comments or Feedback on Assignment (continue overleaf if required):

This Section may be used by tutor/lecturer for General Comments or Feedback on Assignment
(continue overleaf if required):

Lecturer's Signature:................................................................................... Mark:........................

Date..........................

Appendix 3

APPLICATION FOR EXTENSIONAPPROVAL / ASSESSMENT or ABSENCE

In the event that an assignment deadline/assessment date cannot be met, the student must ask
for an extension or approval of absence from the lecturer who has set the
assignment/assessment. An extension or approval of absence is granted only in extenuating
circumstances. Absences arising from planned holiday or other such personal trips will not
usually be regarded as extenuating circumstances. The absence record will be forwarded to the
student's file. Work not submitted on time without prior approval will be failed and a
maximum of 40% awarded for the resubmission.

It is the responsibility of the student to complete this form and discuss the request with the
relevant lecturer in advance of the assignment due date/assessment date.

22
Completion of this form does not guarantee that requests will be met. Approval is at the
discretion of academic staff.

Students Name:

Register No:

Module Code:

Module Name:

Module Teacher:

Assessment Tutor:

Assignment Deadline:

Assessment Date:

Reason for Extension / Absence:

Certificate of Sick Leave /

Bereavement / Other Please
Indicate

Student Signature:

Lecturer Signature

Date:

Copies of this form are available from Department offices.

The Lecturer should return completed forms to the Department Secretary

23