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Student Handbook 2026/27

12. Assessment

12.3. Submission of Assessments (Essays/FAEs/Online Exams and Dissertations)

Saving Your Work

Students are strongly advised to save all assessment work to QMUL OneDrive, the university’s secure cloud storage service. This ensures your work/files are backed up and can be accessed from any device.

Please refer to the OneDrive Guide for instructions on how to access and use the service.

Submitting Assignments via QMplus (Turnitin)

The following information applies to assessments submitted via QMplus, including essays, FAEs and dissertations:

  • Submit your work to the relevant QMplus module page by the published deadline (UK time).
  • All submissions are automatically checked using Turnitin, and a similarity report is generated.

See the Turnitin section for more details on how this process works.

Draft Submission (Turnitin Similarity Check)

Before making your final submission, you may upload a draft version of your work to the Draft Submission Page to review your Turnitin similarity report.

For all assignments submitted via QMplus:

  • Draft submissions are not stored in the Turnitin student repository and do not count as your final submission.
  • You may submit draft versions as many times as you wish and use the similarity report to help review and revise your work.
  • Draft submissions are not linked to your module submission point and will not be marked.
  • You must still submit your final version to the correct module submission point by the deadline.
  • Similarity scores may differ between draft and final submissions because Turnitin's databases are continually updated with publications, student submissions and other sources that may contain text similar to your work.
  • Similarity reports are not generated instantly and may take longer to appear during busy periods.
  • Do not use other online plagiarism checking services.
  • Important: Uploading a draft does not constitute submission of your assessment. Only work submitted to the correct module submission point will be considered for marking.

Final Submission via QMplus 

Essays, FAEs and Dissertations:

  • A submission point will be available on the relevant QMplus module page before the deadline.
  • You can only submit your assessment once. Resubmissions are not permitted, so please ensure that you upload the correct and final version of your work.
  • Upon successful submission, you will receive a QMplus receipt and a Turnitin receipt.
  • To avoid last-minute technical issues, you are strongly advised to submit at least 30 minutes before the deadline.

Technical Difficulties 

If you experience technical difficulties that prevent you from submitting before the deadline:

  • Email your assessment as a single file (.pdf or .docx) to pglaw-submissions@qmul.ac.uk.
  • The assessment will be uploaded on your behalf.
  • This email address should be used for submission purposes only.

Submitting Assessments via Cadmus

The following information applies to Cadmus online examinations

  • Cadmus is integrated with Turnitin, which means that all submissions are processed by Turnitin for similarity checking automatically.
  • Access your examination through the link provided on the relevant QMplus module page at the date and time shown in your personalised timetable

Auto-Submission 

Cadmus has an automatic submission feature.
  • If your device is switched on and connected to the internet when the deadline is reached, your work will be submitted automatically.
  • If your device is not connected to the internet, automatic submission will not occur. If your work is not submitted, it cannot be marked.
  • You remain responsible for ensuring your assessment has been submitted successfully by the deadline.
  • Important: Do not rely solely on the auto-submission feature. Always check that your work has been submitted successfully by the assessment deadline.

Late Submissions and Penalties

Essays and Dissertations (QMplus)

  • Assessments submitted up to seven calendar days after the deadline will be accepted, but a penalty of 5% of the total marks available will be applied to the assessment for each 24-hour period (or part of it) that the work is late (e.g. five marks deducted each day from a total of 100). After seven calendar days, the assessment will be recorded as a non-submission and given a mark of zero.
  • Please refer to the Late Submission Policy in this handbook for full details.

FAEs (QMplus)

  • After the scheduled end time, there is a ten-minute period during which submissions are still accepted, but they will be marked as late and receive a penalty of 10% of the total marks available (e.g. ten marks deducted from a total of 100). 
  • After that point, the submission portal closes, and no further uploads are allowed; the assessment will be recorded as a non-submission and given a mark of zero.

Online Exams (Cadmus)

  • Late submissions are not permitted.
  • Any assessment submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. It will be recorded as a non-submission and given a mark of zero.
  • Where work has not been manually submitted, Cadmus will attempt to auto-submit the assessment at the deadline, provided the device is switched on and connected to the internet.

Please note that, for FAEs, essays and dissertations, work submitted by email is not exempt from late penalties. Any work received by email after the assessment deadline will be subject to the applicable late penalties.

Extenuating Circumstances

If circumstances beyond your control are affecting your ability to meet an assessment deadline, please refer to the Extenuating Circumstances section of this handbook for further guidance and support.