Chapter 8 Continuous Assessment, Coursework and Projects

Peers working together.

Figure 8.1: Peers working together.

Within the general information given for each course/module you take there will be information regarding the mode of assessment; certain courses may be continuously assessed. What will that mean?

Assessment which is carried out throughout the life of a course or module and is made up of coursework is known as continual or continuous assessment (CA). It can mean anything from a mid-session test worth only a few marks (plus a final exam making up the rest) to having weekly tests worth a total of 100% and no final exam at all. Often it is something between these two extremes. CA is used to monitor your progress and, through feedback to enhance teaching.

If there is to be frequent testing then clearly the sort of revision appropriate for an examination will not be possible. However, it makes sense to be as up to date with your work as is practicable. Where testing by computer is involved try to practice on similar examples to that of the test so that it will not be too strange. If it is a computer based course then ask for help if stuck and use any free lab sessions to complete your assignments. (But don’t let the computing completely take over). Mid-session tests may be like having an extended tutorial problem (and may also be ‘open-book’) so seek early guidance on the format and marks allocation. You will need to do revision for these in the way we have outlined in the section on Revision Techniques.

Course work assignments typically involve an extended piece of work, 1-2 weeks duration, and can involve anything from using a computer package to writing an essay or solving longer problems.

Projects on the other hand usually involve work over a whole session or module and are like extended investigations; they may be individual or group projects. You will be required to produce a report and you may have to make a short presentation of what you have done. These are transferable skills that will be invaluable in the work-place and so are well worth acquiring.

Getting started

Each assignment will have a deadline. It may seem a long way off, but it isn’t. The sooner you start the more time you’ll have to think things out. Try to note all deadlines in your calendar (set reminders) so that you can plan your work; this is particularly valuable if two deadlines are close to one another.

Getting on

There is no better way of developing ideas than by talking to others. That doesn’t mean getting them to do the work. Discussion stimulates your mind. Getting people to do the work for you is cheating.

Make good use of any materials which your tutor recommends or relevant materials you find for yourself. Books, computer software and suchlike can give you ideas. Make a careful note of any references for inclusion in a bibliography at the end of your work.

Resist the temptation to cut and paste material from the internet into your work without carefully acknowledging the source. This is cheating and easy for staff to spot. Using AI such as ChatGTP can also be problematic if you simply cut and paste the answers - if your question is not posed correctly, you may not be getting the full (or indeed, correct) answer. While it is a useful tool to find definitions and clarify points, using it to answer your questions is clearly not your own work!

Don’t overdo it. Coursework and projects can take over. Decide how much time you are going to allow yourself to finish and don’t exceed it, otherwise other courses will suffer.

Getting finished

The sooner you finish the better. If it is necessary to change things at the last moment there will then be time. If the deadline is creeping up on you, you will become increasingly worried. Remember that for computer programming projects in particular, it is essential that your program works. Don’t leave it until the last moment to try; debugging code can be frustrating and time-consuming.

The presentation of your report is very important. Submitted solutions need to be complete, with good grammar and logical reasoning and an explanation of the processes you’ve used. You may have found an answer using a “back of the envelope” but for submission this will need to be written out in full, see the Appendix.

Presentations

Here is your opportunity to explain the aim of your project and what you have done. Practice your delivery (and practice again), keep your slides simple and pace what you have to say.

Seek out any help that may be on offer on student presentations. e.g. from study skills advisors/skills hub.

Summary

  • Ensure you know your deadlines and get started on the work early.
  • If you are stuck, seek help from your tutor/lecturer.
  • Use relevant services available to you eg library, study skills.
  • Take time to present your work in a suitable format; ensure written work is neat, clearly written, and logical.
  • For presentations, keep slides simple and practice to ensure you are prepared and know your pace.