Grading and Feedback

Marking Criteria and Assessment Feedback

Assignments are graded according to the assessment criteria spelt out in the Course Outline or details provided by your lecturer. General criteria are elaborated on in the different sections of this guide. Keep these standards in mind from the moment you start to plan, through to the editing of your final draft.

Feedback comes in the form of your grade, as well as any written or oral comments your lecturer may provide. The purpose of feedback is to highlight which aspects of your understanding and skills in relation to the coursework need development, as well as identify your current strengths. Feedback will indicate what you have done well and to give suggestions as to how you can modify or improve your work in future. It is therefore important to recognise the usefulness of "negative"“ feedback. Be sure to seek necessary clarification so you can learn from it and improve in the next assignment you write.

The Business School has a policy of providing written feedback to MBA students within two weeks of assessment submission. For students in Singapore and Hong Kong, allow three weeks to include transit time.

Grading

The MBA Grading Distribution Policy aims to recognise and improve academic performance through competition and to ensure grading comparability both between courses and over time. Around 25% of students are expected to receive a High Distinction or Distinction, and other students will be obtain a Credit, Pass or Fail grade. The Postgraduate Coursework Programs Committee is the final authority, and grade distribution may be varied at the members’ discretion.

At least 60% of course assessment is based on individual assessment tasks (including exams). Students must attain at least a pass level in this proportion of the course mark in order to pass the course.

Grade		Description
HD	85% to 100%	Exceptional performance indicating complete and comprehensive understanding of the course matter; genuine mastery of relevant skills; demonstration of an extremely high level of interpretative and analytical ability and intellectual initiative; and achievement of all major and minor objectives of the course.
D	75% to 84%	Excellent performance indicating a very high level of understanding of the course matter; development of relevant skills to a very high level; demonstration of a very high level of interpretive and analytical ability and intellectual initiative; and achievement of all major and minor objectives of the course.
C	65% to 74%	Good performance indicating a high level of understanding of course matter; development of relevant skills to a high level; demonstration of a high level of interpretive and analytical ability and achievement of all major objectives of the course; some minor objectives not fully achieved.
P	50% to 64%	Satisfactory performance indicating, in comparison with all other students enrolled in the term, an adequate understanding of most of the basic course matter; partial development of relevant skills; adequate interpretive and analytical ability and achievement of all major objectives of the course; failure to achieve some minor objectives.
F	0% to 49%	Unsatisfactory performance indicating an inadequate understanding of the subject matter, failure to develop relevanct skills; insufficient evidence or interpretative and analytical ability; and failure to achieve major and minor objectives of the subject.

Assessment Grievances

If you have a grievance with a mark awarded for an assignment or an examination, you should, in the first instance, speak with your Course Lecturer.

Student Appeals related to Assessment

Any student who, after discussion of the result with the Lecturer is still dissatisfied with the mark awarded for a particular piece of assessment work, and who has specific grounds for objecting to the mark, may lodge a written request for a review of the result or an independent second assessment with the Program Administrator or, in their absence, with the Convenor of the School’s Postgraduate Coursework Program (PGCWP) Committee within 10 University working days from the date of notification of the result. Such a written request must contain details of the grounds on which the objection is based. Requests must include a summary of the reasons the student believes his or her assessment work deserves a higher mark. These reasons must be directly related to the academic quality of the work. For example, re-marks will not be granted where the grounds are that the student needs one or two additional marks to get a higher overall grade for the course.

The Program Administrator may refer the matter to the School’s MBA Committee for advice. The Program Administrator, on behalf of the Head of School, will make a determination on review or second assessment, and inform the student of his decision in writing, as soon as possible and preferably within 10 University working days, subject to access to MBA Committee meeting. In the case of a review or second assessment, where possible, this shall be completed within a further 10 University working days from the date of determination and the result notified to the student in writing as soon as possible.

The mark awarded to a piece of work following review or second assessment will normally stand as the final mark for the work, regardless of whether this mark is higher or lower than the mark originally awarded.

A student who believes his or her request for a review of a final grade has not been justly dealt with may appeal to the Student Appeals Committee. Such appeals need to be lodged within not more than 20 University working days from the date on which the student received notification of the decision. More information is set out in the Student Complaints Policy: www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/100

The University of Adelaide Business School

Grading and Feedback

Marking Criteria and Assessment Feedback

Grading

Assessment Grievances

Student Appeals related to Assessment