ASSESSMENT AND GRADED
UNITS IN HNC AND HND SOCIAL
SCIENCES AWARDS
Carolyn Laird, Motherwell College, Senior External Verifier &
QDT member
Unit Assessment Strategy
A Units
 In response to feedback, assessment for A units
has changed to one open book
 1500 words or oral presentation (10-12 mins) or
podcast, poster presentation, blog etc etc etc.
 Or any other method that would capture the
evidence required
 There must be a bibliography supplied
 Recommend Prior Verification
B Units
 2 instruments of assessment
 One closed book – 1000 words which can be
essay, structured questions, or 8 mins oral
presentation (no PPT or notes) or oral answers
 The other assessment is open book – 2000
words or 15 mins oral presentation with PPT or
poster exhibition, podcast, blog etc.
 Or any other method that fits with evidence
requirements as before
 There must be a bibliography supplied
C Units (similar to B)
 2 instruments of assessment – wording should
reflect SCQF level 8
 One closed book – 1000 words which can be
essay, structured questions, or 8 mins oral
presentation (no PPT or notes) or oral answers
 The other assessment is open book – 2000
words or 15 mins oral presentation with PPT or
poster exhibition, podcast, blog etc.
 Or any other method that fits with evidence
requirements as before
 There must be a bibliography supplied
D Units
 Open book
 2000 words or oral presentation (15 mins) or
podcast, poster presentation, blog etc etc etc.
 Or any other method that would capture the
evidence required
 There must be a bibliography supplied
Highly recommend Prior
Verification for all A, B C or D
Units
Remediation and reassessment
 Closed book
– Oral clarification for minor errors or omissions
– Addition of 100 words approx
– New assessment or presentation where errors
are more major
 Open book
– Review of original work with any amendment
incorporated in context
– Oral clarification of minor detail
Graded Units - No Change ....
 No change to number of Graded Units in both
awards.
 Still have to achieve one Graded Unit for HNC
 Still have to achieve three Graded Units for HND
(one in year one and two in year 2)
 Still assessing at an A, B or C grade to achieve
Unit
HNC/HND yr 1 Graded Unit 1
 Exam set at SCQF Level 7
 Check aims on Unit specification
 3 questions as before
– Q1 related to Research and Methodology Unit
– Q2 & 3 related to individual A & B Units from
mandatory section (NOT Criminology)
– Questions should not duplicate directly
questions set in assessment for Units.
– Marks: 40, 30 and 30 (10 for evaluation and
conclusion in each)
HND yr 2 Graded Unit 3
 Exam set at SCQF Level 8
 Check aims on Unit specification
 3 questions as before
– Q1 related to Research Issues Unit
– Q2 & 3 related to individual C & D Units from
mandatory section (NOT Criminology)
– Questions should not duplicate directly
questions set in assessment for Units.
– Marks: 40, 30 and 30 (more in each for
evaluation and conclusion)
HND yr 2 Graded Unit 2
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Project set at SCQF Level 8
Check aims on Unit specification
3 stages – Planning, Developing, Evaluation
All 3 required to pass
– Marks: 20 (includes 6 for time management),
60 (includes 10 for references/ bibliography)
and 20 for evaluation of process
 Automatic certification of the Core Skill Problem
Solving at SCQF Level 6 in project
HND yr 2 Graded Unit 2 project
 Could present assessment evidence as a report,
or portfolio or reflective blog or personal learning
journal or DVD or any other method that meets
minimum evidence requirements
Remediation and reassessment
 For exams a completely different paper should
be arranged.
 For project – remediation is an ongoing thing
until the final hand in date THEN, if candidate
has not achieved, a new project is required: that
could be a new topic, a new research question
(must be sufficiently different) or a new discipline
being used to analyse same topic.