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Coursework Activity

Table of contents

1. Adding a coursework activity [edit]

2. Setting up the coursework activity [edit]

3. Submission overview [edit]

4. Marking the assignment [edit]

5. Releasing the mark [edit]

Adding a coursework activity [edit]

  1. Navigate to your QMplus module and turn editing on.
  2. Select Add an activity or resource.
  3. From the Activities tab, select Coursework.

Setting up the coursework activity [edit]

In this example, we will go through the main settings of the coursework activity. 

  • General: Give the assignment a title and add instructions for the students within the description area.
  • Availability: set the following options for the assignment.
    • Start date: set the date and time when the coursework becomes available to students. 
    • Deadline for submissions: set the date and time by which students must submit their assignment.
    • Allow personal deadlines: enable this option to assign individual submission deadlines to specific students or groups. 
    • Use marking deadline: Enable this option to set a deadline for marking to be completed.
    • Initial marking deadline: set the date by which the initial marking should be completed.
    • Allow students to finalise their submissions before the deadline so that markers can mark them straight away: enable this option to allow students to finalise their submissions before the due date, enabling markers to begin marking before the submission deadline and before the marking deadline.
    • Allow late submissions: enable this option to accept submissions after the deadline. 

  • Marking workflow:
    • Number of times each submission should initially be marked: Set the number of markers required to mark each submission before marks can be finalised and released [this can be set upto 3 markers]. If two or more markers are assigned, a manager must enter an agreed final mark. Moderators are not included.
    • Marker allocation enabled: Choose the marker allocation method. This can be changed later via the Allocate Markers and Moderators page. 
    • Marker allocation strategy: Choose how markers are allocated to submissions. This can be changed later via the Allocate Markers and Moderators page. 
      • Manual: Manually assign markers to submissions. 
      • Automatic (even distribution): Automatically distribute submissions evenly across markers. 
      • Group: Allocate markers based on group membership. 
      • Percentage per marker: Allocate a specified percentage of submissions to each marker. 
    • Sampling enabled: Enable this option to select which students' submissions are included in later stages of marking after the initial mark has been completed.
    • Automatic agreements of marks: Choose how the final mark is automatically calculated from the initial marks.
      • None: The final mark must be entered manually. 
      • Average grade: The final mark is calculated as the average of the initial marks.
    • Rounding of average mark: Choose how the average mark is rounded. 
      • Mid point rounding
      • Rounding up
      • Rounding down
  • View intial markers' grades: enable this option to allow markers to see the initial grades awarded by other markers.
  • Auto-populate agreed feedback comment: Enable this option to pre-populate the agreed feedback field with comments from the initial marking. Comments are not saved until Save changes is selected.

  • Blind marking: Enable this option to hide students’ names from markers during the marking process. This can help reduce unconscious bias when assessing work. 
  • Marker annoymity: Enable it to prevent students from seeing the real names of their markers when viewing feedback and grades. 

  • Other settings:  Additional options are available that function in the same way as those found in a standard assignment activity.
  • Save the assignment: Once you have reviewed and configured all the settings, click Save and display to create the assignment.

Submission overview [edit]

Once the assignment has been created, you will see the following sections: 

  • Due: Date and time of when the assignment is due. Also, if the assignment accepts late submissions.

  • Marking summary: Provides an overview of the number of submissions, how many have been marked, how many are ready to be released to students, and how many marks have already been released. 

  • Submissions: Displays a list of students, their submission status, allocated markers, and the actions available to markers and administrators. A submission will appear once a student has submitted their work. 

  • Within the Actions menu, staff can grant a Submission extension to provide an individual student with additional time to submit their work, or use Submit on behalf to upload a submission on a student's behalf where required. 

Marking the assignment [edit]

Marking summary

The Marking Summary provides an overview of the marking progress and contains options that allow markers to download submissions, enter marks and feedback, and upload completed marking information.

Markers have two options for marking submissions: 

Bulk marking

Download all submissions allocated to you along with the marking spreadsheet. You can then enter marks and feedback for multiple students offline and upload the completed spreadsheet back to the assignment in bulk.

1.From the marking summary, click to download the:

    • Submitted files: download all submissions that have been allocated to you for marking.
    • Marking spread sheet: download a spreadsheet that can be used to enter marks and feedback in bulk.

  

2. Once you have completed the spreadsheet with the marks and feedback. Click to upload:

    •  Marking spread sheet: upload the completed marking spreadsheet to apply marks and feedback to student submissions.  
      • OR 
    • Feedback files in a zip: Upload a zip file containing feedback documents for students. These files will be attached to the relevant submissions.  

Individual marking

Provide feedback and mark for each submission directly within QMplus. 

1.From the submission column, click on the file to download and review the student’s assignment.  

2. From the Actions column, click Add mark. 

3. From the marking page, enter a grade in the Mark field and enter your feedback in the Feedback box. You also have the option to upload a feedback file. 

Complete the marking

When you have finished grading the submission and providing feedback, you have two options: 

  • Save as draft: Save the mark and feedback as a draft. This allows you to return later and make further changes before finalising the mark. 

  • Save and finalise: Finalise the mark and feedback, making them available for the next stage of the marking process. Once finalised, you will no longer be able to edit the mark or feedback. 

Releasing the mark [edit]

Once both markers had completed their marking, it is ready for release. You will need to click on the release the marks option to release it to students.

A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm the action. Please note that once the marks have been released, they cannot be reverted. 

A notification will appear at the top of the screen confirming that the marks have been released. The marking summary will be updated.

Under marking, the draft tag will be updated to released.