Department of German Studies – Assessment Strategy
The Department of German Studies adopts the university’s Assessment Structure set out below with
the following amendments (in italics)
University Assessment Strategy
Assessment is a judgement of performance and is a critical feature of the student experience at
Warwick. Assessment for the purposes of this strategy includes coursework, examinations, group
work, presentations, dissertations and projects. It encompasses formative and summative
assessment, assessment for learning and assessment of learning.
Commitments
The University is committed to:
 encouraging the active engagement of students in their own learning;
 supporting and facilitating assessment activities to improve students’ learning;
 providing assessments that are accessible and inclusive;
 ensuring that students receive timely, meaningful feedback to progress their learning;
 supporting departments and colleagues to enable them to develop innovative assessment
methods
 ensuring that assessment is linked to module and course level learning outcomes;
 providing assessment methods that take account of the skills and knowledge valued by
potential employers.
Assessment Aims
 All students will engage with a range of relevant formative and summative assessments,
clearly linked to the module and course-level learning outcomes.
 All assessment processes will be designed to be accessible and inclusive, and aligned with
the University’s Equal Opportunities Statement and all relevant equality legislation.
 Formative and summative assessment will be designed to enable students to demonstrate
the skills and knowledge they have acquired at both module and course level.
 The feedback mechanisms in place will include guidance on how to improve performance.
 Assessment processes and outcomes will be designed to enhance students’ personal and
professional development through the acquisition of skills.
 All assessment processes will be designed to embody the underlying principles of: reliability;
validity; equity; timeliness; manageability; and inclusivity.
Department’s amendments to the University’s Assessment Strategy:
Procedures for changes to Assessments
Changes to the assessment structure of any module will be passed through a staff meeting in the
year before the module runs and students will be informed of those changes.
Assessment Ratios
The Dept regularly reviews its assessment ratios to ensure a balance between various forms of
assessments.
Use of Plagiarism Detection Software
The Dept requires students to electronically submit coursework and uses the TURNITIN plagiarism
software to detect potential cases of plagiarism.
Signatories: Head of Department: Helmut Schmitz
Date: 13 March 2014
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Birgit Röder
Date: 13 March 2014
Director of Graduate Studies: Anne Fuchs
Date: 13 March 2014
Chair of SSLC:
Date:
The Assessment strategy has been communicated to all students in the Dept and was
published on the Dept’s website. It will be presented to SSLC on May 7, 2014