Example standard descriptors

The standard descriptors are a useful tool for capturing language to demonstrate how your learners might engage with a learning outcome or assessment criteria.

These standards aim to develop a common language for describing student achievement, or the extent to which a learning outcome or assessment criteria has been met. The standards consist of a series of statements that describe an acceptable level, loosely based on the graduate attributes across each of the five levels taught at the University. However, they can be adapted to fit the learning outcomes for individual assessments. Essentially, they provide a useful starting point for module and programme teams to consider what they expect to see in an assessment 99.

Definitions

Standard descriptors

Standard descriptors sketch out in broad terms what is expected of students at a particular level. They are too generic to support making grading decisions for individual assignments, and so need to be interpreted into specific marking criteria for each task.

Marking criteria

Marking criteria are used to judge the standard to which each learning outcome has been achieved. They need to be specific to the assignment because they need to link the criteria and the intended learning outcomes for the module.

Verification

Verification is the practice of peer review of assignment briefs, which should include marking criteria, and which should be incorporated into the module handbook. Verification is usually carried out by a colleague from a different module and by the external examiner.

Calibration

Calibration refers to the practice of building confidence in the consistency of marking and feedback across the team. Calibration involves independent marking of a limited number of shared pieces of work with a follow-up meeting to discuss the outcomes and any actions which the team would like to take as a result before substantive marking begins.

Further information

Institutional requirements

These institutional requirements support the QAA quality code which expects institutions to have ‘assessment and classification processes that are reliable, fair and transparent’ (QAA 2023, Expectations for standards, Core Practices).
Standard descriptors should form the basis for the development of marking criteria at each level (Appendix 1: Standard descriptors summary of requirements for a pass at all levels of taught courses document). Marking criteria need to be provided for each assignment task. Programme teams may choose to use similar criteria for particular tasks at the same level across the programme, such as essays, presentations, exams, portfolios, or may use different criteria for each task. Criteria should be included in the module handbook.
The use of common standard descriptors across a level or a complete programme will make it easier for students to judge their progress between different module’s and should facilitate moderation discussions about assignments.
Example standard descriptors

The example standard descriptors are designed to be a reference point for assessment criteria in the appropriate subject area and to provide a common language for differentiating level and performance within each level.
Programme teams are encouraged to use the generic criteria as a basis for evaluating and developing their own, discipline-specific criteria for each level of their own taught curriculum.
The standard descriptors were developed as part of a cross-institutional initiative, but are for guidance and are not prescriptive.
Having achieved the full degree award at a given level, students should have been able to demonstrate learning at the appropriate level. Subject specialists are best placed to interpret the generic descriptors into discipline-specific language and professional context for a given topic and form of assessment.
At module level

Assignment tasks should be clearly defined and demonstrate a logical relationship to the module’s intended learning outcomes. The marking criteria for assessing student performance on the task should reflect the standard descriptors for that level of the curriculum and show how each grading band can be achieved.
Programme teams may choose to use similar schemes for particular tasks at the same level across the programme, such as essays, presentations, exams and portfolios, or may use different schemes for each task. Criteria should be included in the module handbook.
Our Assessment Regulations state that all elements of summative assessment within a module shall be marked out of 100. The weighted average mark for the module is calculated from the marks for the individual elements of summative assessment.
Moderation of assessed work should be carried out according to the ‘Verification, Marking and Moderation Policy’ (Appendix 1: Standard descriptors summary of requirements for a pass at all levels of taught courses document).
The aim of these standards is to develop a shared language to describe student achievement.
The standards are composed of a series of statements that describe an acceptable level, loosely based on the graduate attributes, across each of the five levels taught at the University. The full set of standard descriptors then offers a model for differentiating performance at each level.
The standards need to be interpreted for each discipline and assignment task to create marking criteria for each task: words such as information, data sources, theory, practice and contexts such as community, appropriate audience, professional values and standards and team-work will require different approaches in different subject areas. The scope and context of the assignment task should also be considered when setting criteria: what is appropriate range and depth? Select the standard descriptors will needed for each assignment task.
If you check through the various levels in the documents below, you will find tables that show a summary of the pass level descriptors for each taught level, to show the progression expected along the levels with detailed descriptors for each level underneath.