University assessments
You'll need to complete a range of assessments whilst studying. We've compiled information about the common assessment types to help you understand them.
Popular pages on the Skills website
Introduction to assessment
Find out how you will be assessed.
eSubmission guidance
What is covered:
- how to submit a draft assignment
- what an Originality Report is and how to find and interpret it
- how to submit your work for marking
- how to access your grades and feedback.
Estimated duration is 15 minutes.
Understanding your assessment brief
What is covered:
- The different parts of the assessment brief.
- Using your assessment brief to plan and complete your assessments.
- Where to get help if you don't understand the assignment brief.
Assessment methods
What is covered:
- formative (practice for success) and summative assessments
- how to approach the different types of assessment you may be asked to complete
- the purpose of different assessment methods.
Estimated duration is 20 minutes.
Approaching your assessments: Six steps to success
What is covered:
- Analysing the task and planning your research.
- Finding and evaluating information.
- Reading and note-taking.
- Planning and writing.
- Editing and submitting.
- Using feedback.
Assessment methods
Discover the different assessment methods.
Approaching your essay
Learn how and when to get started with your first draft, how to structure paragraphs and essays, what to include in an introduction and conclusion, and how you can use evidence to write objectively.
Estimated duration is 20 minutes.
Using Microsoft Word to format your essay
What is covered:
- fonts
- line spacing
- paragraph alignment
- indentations
- margins
- numbering
- headers and footers
- footnotes
- spelling and grammar
- word count.
Estimated duration is 15 minutes.
Approaching your presentation
What is covered:
- planning a presentation
- creating good slides
- delivering your presentation with confidence.
Estimated duration is 20 minutes.
Preparing for and delivering an online presentation
What is covered:
- preparing for an online presentation
- tips for delivering it.
Estimated duration is 5 minutes.
Narrated Presentations and Video submissions
What is covered:
- how to record narration and create a video using a PowerPoint presentation
- using ScreenPal (formerly known as Screencast-o-Matic) to record your screen and add video material from other sources to produce a finished video.
Approaching your literature review
What is covered:
- planning your search
- finding literature
- evaluating and organising your material
- writing your review.
Estimated duration is 60 minutes.
Approaching your dissertation
What is covered:
- the importance of choosing the right topic
- how to narrow the scope of your research
- how to write your research proposal
- an introduction to research methods.
Estimated duration is 15 minutes.
Writing your dissertation
What is covered:
- how to get started
- how to work with your supervisor
- how to structure your dissertation.
Estimated duration is 30 minutes.
Approaching your exams
What is covered:
- different types of tests and exams
- how to prepare
- how to be your best on the day.
Note: The advice given applies to on-campus and online tests and exams.
Estimated duration is 20 minutes.
Effective revision
What is covered:
- Preparing for revision
- how to revise effectively.
Estimated duration is 8 minutes.
Approaching your scientific report
What is covered:
- what a scientific report is
- understanding the basic structure
- the purpose of each section.
Estimated duration is 20 minutes.
Approaching your business report
What is covered:
- what a business report is
- how to approach writing one.
Estimated duration is 15 minutes.
Approaching your practical assessment
What is covered:
- the purpose, challenges and benefits of practical assessments
- theoretical knowledge and practical application
- how to prepare for your assessment.
Estimated duration is 30 minutes.
Approaching your blog post
What is covered:
- what a blog post is
- how to write an effective post for academic assessment.
Estimated duration is 15 minutes.
Approaching your case study
What is covered:
- what a case study is
- organising your ideas
- analysing a case study.
Estimated duration is 15 minutes.
Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) exam
What is covered:
- the purpose of MCQ exams
- different MCQ question types
- how to prepare for them.
Estimated duration is 20 minutes.
Introduction to reflective writing
What is covered:
- what reflective writing is
- how to write reflectively
- introduction to a model that helps you to reflect.
Estimated duration is 15 minutes.
Effective group working
Learn how to approach working with others, designating roles and responsibilities, and group work etiquette.
Formats
Apps for online group working
Learn how to use Microsoft Teams and other online apps for effective collaborative group working.
Formats
Approaching your poster presentation
What is covered:
- what an academic poster is
- how to approach your poster
- design ideas
- how to present your poster.
Estimated duration is 10 minutes.
Writing a review of an article, performance or book
What is covered:
- what a review is and isn't
- how to approach writing a review
- how to structure a review.
Estimated duration is 10 minutes.