• Section 1 - Content
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Procedure
• Re-marks
• Moderation

Section 1 - Content

(1) This procedure applies to Course/Units with the prefix MEDI and supports the implementation of the JMP Policy Governing Administration of Assessment Items and related policies and is designed to ensure that there is appropriate consistency and quality assurance in the management of the re-marking and moderating of students’ marks across the Joint Medical Program.

Section 2 - Definitions

(2) In the context of this document:

1. assessment item means any form of assignment, examination, quiz, test, laboratory assignment, tutorial exercise or any other work used to measure student learning outcomes by which the final result of a student in a Course/Unit is determined;
2. Dean means the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP);
3. external marker means a marker from outside the School responsible for the delivery of the Course/Unit;
4. Joint Medical Program (JMP) means the Bachelor of Medicine – Joint Medical Program (BMed-JMP) or Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (MD-JMP); as delivered in partnership by UON and UNE;
5. JMP Teaching and Learning Committee means the joint UON/UNE committee responsible for the planning, implementation and management of the JMP including curriculum, assessment and standards;
6. major assessment item means any assessment item, including the final examination, worth 20% or more of the final result; or an assessment item that is an essential criteria (i.e. a compulsory assessment item that must be satisfactorily completed in order for a student to receive a pass mark or better in that Course/Unit);
7. moderation means a review of the marks awarded for a single assessment item, or component of an assessment item, or the final results, of all students in the cohort undertaking that assessment;
8. re-mark means a review of the mark awarded to an individual student for a single assessment item, or component of an assessment item, awarded to an individual student;
9. Year Assessment Decision Committee means the committees responsible for recommending final grades to the Heads of School and for reviewing the assessment of courses/units in accordance with the Universities’ quality assurance principles.

Section 3 - Procedure

Re-marks

(3) A student may only request a re-mark of an assessment item before the final result for the Course/Unit to which the assessment item contributes has been posted. If a final result in the Course/Unit has been posted, the student must apply under the JMP Appeal Against Final Result Procedure.

(4) Students concerned for the mark given for an assessment item should first discuss the matter with the Course/Unit Coordinator responsible for the Course/Unit. Students should be aware before they proceed with a formal request, that the original mark may be increased or reduced as a result of a re-mark.

(5) If, within five calendar days of receiving the mark, a student is unable to contact or is not satisfied with the discussion with the Course/Unit Coordinator, the student may request a re-mark, outlining in writing the case for a re-mark to the Course/Unit Coordinator.

(6) In determining whether a re-mark should be granted the Course/Unit Coordinator must taken into consideration all of the following:

1. whether the student had discussed the matter with the Course/Unit Coordinator;
2. the case put forward by the student for a re-mark;
3. the weighting of the assessment item and its potential impact on the students final grade;
4. the number of original markers i.e.
   1. whether there was a single marker, or
   2. if there was more than one marker, whether there was congruence or variance in the marks awarded.

(7) A re-mark may also be initiated at the request of the Course/Unit Coordinator, the Head of School, the Program Convenor, the Year Assessment Decision Committee, the JMP Progress and Appeals Committee or the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP). 

(8) Where a re-mark is initiated by someone other than the student and the student has already been given a mark for that assessment item, the student will be informed that a re-mark is underway.

(9) In all cases the results of the re-mark are to be given to the Course/Unit Coordinator accompanied by a recommendation from the initiating officer/body if that is other than the Course/Unit Coordinator.

(10) When the student is advised that a re-mark is underway, they must be informed that the revised mark may increase, decrease or remain the same.

(11) Re-marks may be undertaken by:

1. the original marker; or
2. an alternate internal marker; or
3. an alternate external marker.

(12) Where a re-mark is requested as part of, or as a consequence of, a grievance procedure or an action under the JMP Student Academic Misconduct Rule, and the Student Conduct Rule (UON), the re-mark must be undertaken by an external marker.

(13) An alternate marker shall be provided with any marking guides and the assessment criteria for the assessment item and for the Course/Unit. The Course/Unit Coordinator should provide the alternate marker with a clean copy of student’s answer(s) with the original markers comments removed.

(14) The alternate marker will make a recommendation to the officer or body responsible for arranging the re-mark.

(15) If an alternate marker is used, the original marker:

1. is to be informed that a remark is being undertaken; and
2. should be involved in discussion with the Course/Unit Coordinator (if they are not the same person), where practical, and informed of the result of the re-mark before the student is informed.

(16) The result of the re-mark and the recommendation of the body responsible for arranging the re-mark will be considered by the Course/Unit Coordinator who will determine the final mark. If the assessment item is a major assessment item the student may appeal the decision after the final result is posted by submitting an application under the JMP Appeal Against Final Result Procedure.

(17) If necessary (where any doubt exists as to the result to be recorded for an assessment item) a supplementary or replacement assessment item may be required.

(18) Notification of changes to the mark for an assessment item as a result of a re-mark are the responsibility of:

1. the Course/Unit Coordinator; or
2. the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP) when the re-mark is the result of an appeal under the JMP Appeal Against Final Result Procedure.

Moderation

(19) Moderation may be applied when:

1. Head of School, Program Convenor or the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP) detects a major discrepancy (or perceived discrepancy) between any of the following:
   1. the content of the Course/Unit as against the content or nature of the assessment item(s);
   2. the content or nature of the assessment item(s) as against those set out in the Course/Unit Outline;
   3. the marks given by a particular examiner and those given by another in the same Course/Unit;
   4. the results in a particular Course/Unit and the results in other Course/Units undertaken by the same students;
2. a JMP Course/Unit Coordinator, Head of School, Program Convenor or the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP), JMP Assessment Decision Committee or the Universities wish to ensure that the results in an assessment item or the final results in a Course/Unit are consistent across the Course/Unit (particularly where group, self or peer assessment is being used);
3. a JMP Course/Unit Coordinator, Head of School, Program Convenor or the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP), JMP Assessment Decision Committee or the Universities wish to ensure that the results in an assessment item or final results in a Course/Unit are in keeping with benchmarks or standards established for that assessment item or Course/Unit;
4. the JMP Progress and Appeals Committee makes such a request under the JMP Appeal Against a Final Result Procedure; and
5. either of the Universities, the JMP Assessment or Monitoring and Evaluation Committee is undertaking a quality assurance process review.

(20) Moderation may be undertaken by:

1. a suitable internal moderator;
2. a suitable external moderator (including the School Moderator as set ou in the JMP Policy Governing Administration of Assessment Items.

(21) The moderator will be given access to:

1. a copy of the Course/Unit outline;
2. the Course/Unit description as approved by the JMP Teaching and Learning Committee;
3. the criteria for the assessment of major assessment items of the Course/Unit;
4. weightings for the individual components of the Course/Unit; and
5. weightings/marks for the individual components of the assessment (if applicable).

(22) When a moderation is initiated all students who may be affected will be informed that the process is being undertaken and warned that their marks may be varied upwards or downwards.

(23) The moderator will make a recommendation to the officer or body responsible for arranging the moderation.

(24) Changes to the results of an assessment item as a result of moderation are the responsibility of the Heads of School in consultation with the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP).

(25) Changes to the final results of students as a result of moderation are the responsibility of the Heads of School in consultation with the Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program (JMP).