James Cook University Course and Subject Handbook - 2006

This information was current in 2006 and may now be out of date. Please refer to the latest handbook.

ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATIONS

EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

1. In these Requirements the following terms have the meanings set against them respectively:

‘Examination'

— an examination conducted by the University in a subject.

‘Examination room'

— in relation to an examination, a room appointed by the Director, Student Affairs as a room in which the examination is to be held.

‘Chief Supervisor'

— in relation to an examination, a person appointed by a competent officer of the University to be Chief Supervisor of examinations in the area in which the examination is to be held.

‘Supervisor'

— in relation to an examination, a person appointed by the Registrar to be a supervisor of examinations in the area in which the examination is to be held. Where the context allows, the term includes a Chief Supervisor.

‘Candidate'

— in relation to an examination, a person who, whether or not that person has lodged an examination entry for the examination, has entered an examination room or the precincts thereof for the purpose of sitting for the examination.

2. A person other than a candidate, a supervisor or a person authorised by the Director, Student Affairs may not enter an examination room, except with the permission of a supervisor, during an examination period or during the period of 45 minutes immediately preceding or the period of 45 minutes immediately following an examination period. A person who has entered an examination room before the period of 45 minutes immediately preceding an examination period may not, except with the permission of a supervisor, remain in the examination room after the commencement of that period of 45 minutes.

3.

4. A person, whether a candidate or not, who is given permission to enter or leave an examination room shall comply with all conditions on which the permission is given.

5. Except for items approved by the Head of the School concerned and specified in the examination timetable, a candidate shall not bring into an examination room any writing paper or blotting paper, or anything which, whether by writing, printing, or other marks on it or otherwise, conveys information concerning or otherwise has reference to any subject or is such that it may reasonably give rise to suspicion that it is capable of conveying information concerning or of having reference to any subject or that it was intended by the candidate to do so. It is immaterial that the subject is not a subject to which the examination relates.

6. A candidate shall not during an examination period communicate by word or otherwise with any other person except a supervisor, or assist any other person to communicate with another person, or willingly receive a communication from any person other than a supervisor.

7. A candidate shall not cheat in an examination, or do anything calculated to assist in cheating in an examination. A person, whether a candidate or not, shall not do anything intended or calculated to assist any other person sitting for an examination so as to defeat the purposes of the examination.

8. A supervisor may require a candidate to show, by such means as the supervisor may specify and as are appropriate to the circumstances, that the candidate does not possess any such thing as is specified in Requirement 5, or that otherwise a breach of Requirement 5, Requirement 6, or Requirement 7 is not being or has not been committed; and the candidate shall comply with any such requirement.

9. Failure to comply with requirements 5, 6, 7 or 8 may result in an allegation of misconduct that would be dealt with under the Student Academic Misconduct Requirements.

10. A candidate shall bring to the examination room such means of identification as are prescribed, including a student identification card or another form of photographic identification and shall produce or keep displayed such means of identification in accordance with any direction given to the candidate by notice displayed in the examination room, by directions on an examination book, by a supervisor, or otherwise.

11. A candidate for an examination shall upon entering an examination room proceed without delay to such place as may be directed by a supervisor or by notice or other means and shall not leave that place except with the permission or by the direction of a supervisor.

A supervisor may at any time direct a candidate to leave any such place and to occupy another place specified by the supervisor and a candidate shall without delay comply with any such direction.

12. A candidate shall comply with all directions to candidates set forth on a writing book or other examination materials supplied and shall without delay comply with directions given by a supervisor.

A supervisor need not give to a candidate a reason for any direction or requirement given or made to the candidate.

13. If in the opinion of a supervisor a candidate's behaviour, dress, or appearance is such as to disturb or distract any other candidate or is otherwise improper, the supervisor may require that candidate to leave the examination room and if the candidate does not forthwith leave the examination room the permission to be on the premises of which the examination room is a part shall be deemed to be withdrawn and the candidate may be dealt with under the Student Conduct Policy.

STANDARD SYSTEM OF REPORTING GRADES

(Grades awarded for supplementary examinations begin with the letter S and are: SP, SPC, SN and SX.)

HD = Pass with High Distinction
D = Pass with Distinction
C = Pass with Credit
P = Pass
PC = Pass Conceded (May not be used as a prerequisite without special permission of the Head of School concerned.)
P- = Pass Minus(A borderline pass – Engineering only.)
S = Satisfactory (A passing level in an ungraded subject.)
SS = Satisfactory in supplementary examinations(A passing level in an ungraded subject.)
NS = Failure, Supplementary examination granted
N = Failure
U = Unsatisfactory (A failure in an ungraded subject.)
SU = Unsatisfactory in a supplementary subject(A failure in an ungraded subject.)
X = Failure(Did not sit for examination(s) or did not complete assessment requirements or formally withdrew from a subject at a time after the prescribed date for withdrawal without penalty or deferred examination not granted.)
ED = Deferred Examination granted
RW = Result Withheld (Assessment requirements are outstanding.)
AI = Assessment Incomplete (The school assessment process is incomplete.)
EXT = Extension(Permitted to enrol in the subject in following teaching period or year.)
CS = Enrolment Cancelled by Student (Subject enrolment cancelled without penalty.)
EX = Exempt from Subject
KU = Interim result for subjects which form part of a subject chain

HONOURS RESULTS

I Hons Class I
IIA Hons Class II division A
IIB Hons Class II division B
III Hons Class III

DISTRIBUTION OF GRADES – CUT-OFF POINTS – ALL FACULTIES

Grade Range
High Distinction85-100%
Distinction75-84%
Credit65-74%
Pass50-64%
Fail<50%

STUDENT ACCESS TO A DICTIONARY DURING AN EXAMINATION

ACCESS TO AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE DICTIONARY

Students will be permitted to consult an English language dictionary during an examination for non-exempt subjects provided that:

Students who because of a disability require access to a dictionary other than that provided for in the following procedures shall apply for approval to the Examinations Officer at least 14 days prior to the commencement of the examination period.

PROCEDURES

1. One English language dictionary will be provided in each examination room except where an examination is exempt from approval.

2. The dictionary will be placed on a table to the front of the examination room.

3. On request to an examination supervisor a dictionary will be taken to the student at their desk to consult provided that:

ACCESS TO AN ENGLISH/FOREIGN LANGUAGE DICTIONARY

Students for whom English is a second language may apply for approval to bring an English/Foreign language dictionary to an examination. If approval is granted, extra time for the examination will be at the discretion of the Head of School. Extra time shall not exceed 20 percent of the total time allowed for the completion of the examination.

PROCEDURES

1. Applications shall be made on the prescribed application form available from Examinations and Ceremonies and submitted at least 14 days before the commencement of the examination period.

2. The outcome of the application in 1. above shall be advised in writing to the applicant.

3. If the application is approved:

SUPPLEMENTARY, DEFERRED AND SPECIAL EXAMINATIONS REQUIREMENTS

1. In these Requirements the following terms have the meanings set against them respectively:

‘Examination'

— an examination held during the mid-year or end-of-year examination period or on completion of other subjects approved by the Head of School.

‘Supplementary examination'

— an exam­ination given, during a period determined by the Academic Board, to a student who has failed to receive a passing grade in the subject in question following the completion of all assessment. The only results to be awarded after sitting a supplementary examination are ‘SP', ‘SPC', ‘SN', ‘SX'.

‘Deferred examination'

— an examination given, during a period determined by the Academic Board, to a student who, for reasons acceptable to the appropriate Board of Examiners, has not sat the examination in the subject in question held during the mid-year or end-of-year examination period or other examinations held on the completion of subjects approved by the Head of School.

‘Special examination'

— a supplementary or deferred examination given to a student at a time other than during the period determined for supplementary or deferred examinations by the Academic Board in a particular year.

2. A Faculty (where applicable to faculty rules) may, with sufficient cause, on the recommendation of its Board of Examiners, allow a student who has failed in a subject to be re-examined in that subject by means of a supplementary examination or by other means approved by the Faculty.

3. Students who, for medical reasons or for other reasons which appear valid to the appropriate Board of Examiners, were unable, or consider that they will be unable, to sit for the examination in a subject, shall apply to the Registrar on the prescribed form if they seek deferred examinations. Such applications should be lodged with the Registrar no later than five days after the date of the examination and the Registrar shall refer them to the appropriate lecturer for recommendation, the appropriate Head of School for approval and then to the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for executive decision. All such decisions shall be reported to the Board of Examiners and to the Faculty at their next meeting. Applications made on medical grounds must be accompanied by a medical certificate. Applications made on psychological grounds must be accompanied by a counsellor certificate. Medical and counsellor certificates must provide sufficient information on which to make a determination regarding the application. Applications made for reasons other than medical or psychological must be supported by relevant documentation, including a Statutory Declaration stating the facts on which the application relies. All documents provided must be the original document or a certified copy of the original.

4. Students who, before the date prescribed for the examination in a subject, consider that their preparation for the examination has been or is being adversely affected by medical or other factors, shall apply to the Registrar on the prescribed form if they seek either (a) to be excused from sitting for the examination and to be given a deferred examination, or (b) to be given consideration in the marking of their examination scripts and/or if applicable to faculty rules a supplementary examination may be awarded should they fail to receive a passing grade in the subject in question following the completion of all assessment. Applications for deferring an examination should be lodged with the Registrar no later than five days after the scheduled date of the examination and special consideration should be lodged on or before the scheduled date of the examination. The Registrar shall refer them to the appropriate lecturer for recommendation, the appropriate Head of School for approval and to the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for executive decision, which shall be reported to the Board of Examiners and to the Faculty at their next meeting. Applications made on medical grounds must be accompanied by a medical certificate. Applications made on psychological grounds must be accompanied by a counsellor certificate. Medical and counsellor certificates must provide sufficient information on which to make a determination regarding the application. Applications made for reasons other than medical or psychological must be supported by relevant documentation, including a Statutory Declaration stating the facts on which the application relies. All documents provided must be the original document or a certified copy of the original.

5. The Registrar may, in consultation with the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, accept a late application under either Requirement 3 or Requirement 4, providing such an application is received in time for it to be considered or reported to the Board of Examiners which is normally convened to consider and receive reports on examination results following the mid-year or end-of-year examination period, as the case may be.

6. A Faculty may, because of exceptional circumstances or special hardship in the case of a particular student, permit that student to sit for a special examination.

7. Students who have sat for an examination in a subject may be re-examined if, for medical reasons or for other reasons which appear valid to the appropriate Board of Examiners, their results in that subject are:

DEFERRED EXAMINATIONS - AWARD

Students are reminded that they are required to sit examinations at the scheduled time. The specified examination periods in June/July and in November are regarded as part of the academic year and students are expected to be present to sit examinations in those periods.

The University's clearly stated position is that any student who is unable to sit an examination at the scheduled time should seek a deferred examination.

Examples for the award/non-award of deferred examinations

Severe illness or absence in hospital for an operation may well be an acceptable reason for the award of a deferred examination.

On the other hand, misreading the examination timetable or leaving on an overseas holiday prior to the completion of the examination period are not justifiable reasons. Claiming that air bookings have been made (and perhaps paid for) does not enhance the student's case.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION - AWARD

Applying for special consideration is not normally granted when two or more examinations are scheduled consecutively or when two examinations are scheduled within 24 hours.

TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT CODE OF PRACTICE

James Cook University's Teaching and Assessment Code of Practice is available at: http://www.jcu.edu.au/staff/teaching/TandA_COP_-_post_AB.html Below is an abridged version containing areas of particular importance to students. However, both staff and students are encouraged to review the entire Code of Practice.

Subject Outline

1. The content requirements for all subject outlines are located in full in ‘Section A – General' of the Teaching and Assessment Code of Practice. These requirements include, but are not restricted to: types of assessment; weighting of assessment items; distribution of grades; attendance requirements; class participation; assessment submission dates and procedures.

2. No change can be made to the assessment tasks or weightings after the second week of session (or equivalent) without the consent of each student enrolled in the subject.

Feedback

3. Students must be informed of their numerical mark or grade for every component of assessment in the subject.

4. Feedback on performance must be provided to students before half of the teaching session has elapsed, that is, before the deadline for withdrawal without academic penalty, and to improve performance before further assessment; delays in excess of three weeks is unacceptable practice.

5. Material submitted for assessment which is also intended to inform students and/or that is relevant to the final examination for the subject, should be marked and returned before the study week prior to the formal examinations.

Weighting of Assessment

6. No component of assessment should count for more than 70% of final mark, except in subjects with a designated research project.

7. For on-campus undergraduate subjects and on-campus postgraduate coursework subjects, non-invigilated assessment pieces for which students might utilise editorial support should not account for more than 50% of the final mark, except in subjects with a designated research project.

8. For on-campus undergraduate subjects and on-campus postgraduate coursework subjects, a student must obtain at least an average of 40% over all invigilated components within a subject to achieve an overall pass in the subject, unless there are exceptional circumstances such as external accreditation requirements.

9. Any individual assessment task that requires satisfactory completion must be clearly identified, and should be given sufficient weight to be considered compulsory. No subject should require students to satisfy the examiners in all the assessment tasks that are used in the subject unless there are exceptional circumstances such as external accreditation requirements.

10. In subjects where fellow students participate in the assessment of another student's work a maximum weighting of 10% is permitted for such assessment. Provided such assessment is invigilated, it may count as part of the minimum invigilated component specified in 7.

Attendance at Classes and Participation in Class Activities

11. While attendance at prescribed classes is not a component of assessment in any subject, the Head of School may allow participation in class activities to be an assessment component, provided that the criteria are made clear to students.

12. The Head of School may prescribe that attendance at specified classes be a mandatory requirement for satisfactory completion of a subject and in such cases mechanisms must be in place to ensure fulfilment of any mandatory requirements.

Oral Presentations

13. Staff who allot marks for oral presentations must set out the criteria for marking in the subject outline. If the value of the presentation is over 20% staff must provide a means by which a re-mark is possible if a student should appeal the grade given (for example by video-recording or including two markers at the initial prresentation). If fellow student ratings are to be considered as part of the assessment for the subject, the criteria should be reproduced on a marking sheet given to every member of the class each time an oral presentation is made. Subject to the 10% rule specified in 10, marks awarded by students may or may not be used to determine the mark given to the student, but the sheets will be kept by the tutor and used as part of any reassessment requested by the presenter. Where the oral presentation is 20% or less of the aggregate mark for the subject these review procedures are advisory only and reviews may be conducted by considering the oral presentation marks in the context of marks for all other pieces of assessment.

Timing of Assessment

14. No test administered by a school worth more than 30% of the assessment in a given subject may be held in the three weeks prior to a formal examination period.

15. No formal examinations may be held outside the periods prescribed as the mid-year and end-of-year examination periods, save only for final year honours examinations.

Review of Assessment

16. Students may ask for a review of any piece of assessable work within two weeks of receiving their assessment. Such review may involve a re-mark of the piece of work. For further information regarding Review of Assessment refer to the following Review of Assessment – Undergraduate.

REVIEW OF ASSESSMENT — UNDERGRADUATE

PROCEDURES

1. A student who seeks a review of a final result shall apply in writing to the Registrar stating the reasons for the application and naming the examiner or Head of School, if any, who has been consulted. Application forms are available from Examinations and Ceremonies.

2. If consultation at school level has not already taken place, the Registrar shall request that it be undertaken. This consultation may be omitted only on the advice of the appropriate Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

3. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the appropriate Faculty shall be advised of the application.

4. An application relating to a full-year and Teaching Period 2 examination should normally be received by the Registrar by 31 January.

An application relating to a Teaching Period 1 examination or to a supplementary or deferred examination should normally be received by the Registrar within 14 days of publication of the result on a University notice-board.

In consultation with the appropriate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar may accept a later application.

5. If consultation between the student and the examiner or the appropriate Head of School has already taken place, the Registrar shall proceed as in clause 7 below.

6. If consultation between the student and the examiner or the Head of School has been waived (see clause 2 above), the Registrar shall request the Head of School's comments on the application and shall report these comments to the student. If the student wishes to pursue the matter further, the Registrar shall proceed as in clause 7 below.

7. On the advice of the appropriate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar shall inform the examiner concerned, in writing, of the application for review and of the grounds for it. The examiner shall respond to the application in writing and shall forward to the Registrar all material relevant to the assessment. The Registrar shall forward a copy of the examiner's response and all relevant material to the student. If the student wishes to pursue the matter further, the Registrar shall forward all relevant documentation to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

8. On receiving the documentation the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (or, if the Pro-Vice-Chancellor is also the examiner, the Chair of the Academic Board) shall as soon as practicable convene a meeting of the Faculty Committee. If they are not members of the Faculty Committee, the following shall also be invited to the meeting:

Except with the express permission of the Convener of the meeting of the Faculty Committee, no additional documentation shall be presented at the meeting.

9. An examiner who is a member of the Faculty Committee shall not attend the meeting except as provided for in clause 10.

10. The Faculty Committee shall consider the student's application together with the statement prepared by the examiner and shall hear either of them in person if either wishes to be heard.
The opportunity to be heard is available only if the person who wishes to be heard is available at the time and date fixed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the meeting of the Faculty Committee. Normally neither the student nor the examiner may be present while the other is being heard, but if both parties agree and the Convener considers that such a procedure would facilitate the review, each may be present while the other is being heard. The student and the examiner shall be present only for such time as is necessary for them to be heard by the Committee.

11. A student who appears in person before the Faculty Committee may choose to be accompanied by a member of the University community, who may assist in presenting the case but may not undertake the presentation of it on the student's behalf.

12. If the student or examiner satisfies the Convener of the meeting of the Faculty Committee that it is impracticable to appear in person before the Committee, the student or examiner may nominate a member of the University community to appear on his or her behalf.

13. After considering the application, the Faculty Committee shall confirm or amend the result or shall take or recommend such further action as it deems appropriate.

14. The result of the review shall be communicated to the Registrar, who shall as soon as practicable inform the student and the examiner in writing of the result and take such other action as may be necessary.

STUDENT ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT REQUIREMENTS

1. DEFINITIONS

2. WHERE ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT MAY OCCUR

3. RIGHTS TO REPRESENTATION

4. RECORD KEEPING OF PROVEN CASES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Where the allegation of academic misconduct against the student is proved:

5. STUDENT COUNSELLING FOR PROVEN CASES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Where any allegation of academic misconduct has been proven, in addition to any action imposed under the relevant clauses, the student must be offered counselling from the Head of School or an appropriate delegate relating to the non-acceptability of academic misconduct in Australian universities and advice on the possible consequences of any further proven breaches of these Requirements.

6. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Staff members appointed to serve on:

should have no association with the teaching of the subject in which the misconduct is alleged to have occurred, or have no previous responsibilities associated with the thesis that is the subject of the allegation of misconduct.

Staff members appointed to serve on a Review Panel shall have had no involvement in the decision made by the Hearing Committee.

7. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT IN ASSOCIATION WITH NON-INVIGILATED ASSESSMENT AND INVIGILATED ASSESSMENT ADMINISTERED BY A SCHOOL

8. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT IN ASSOCIATION WITH INVIGILATED ASSESSMENT ADMINISTERED BY THE UNIVERSITY

9. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT IN ASSOCIATION WITH THESIS PRESENTATION AND OTHER WORK FOR AWARDS OF THE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTERED BY FACULTIES

10. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT ASSOCIATED WITH THESIS PRESENTATION AND OTHER WORK FOR POSTGRADUATE DEGREES ADMINISTERED BY THE BOARD OF HIGHER DEGREES BY RESEARCH

11. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT AS DETERMINED BY THE CHAIR, ACADEMIC BOARD

In cases of other acts, which in the opinion of the Chair, Academic Board reasonably represent academic misconduct, the Chair, Academic Board will consult with the Registrar as to the procedures to be undertaken.

PLAGIARISM

Reproduction without acknowledgment of another person's words, work or thoughts (including a fellow student's) from any source constitutes plagiarism. The definition of words, works and thoughts includes such representations as diagrams, drawings, sketches, pictures, objects, text, lecture handouts, artistic works and other such expressions of ideas, but hereafter the term ‘work' is used to embrace all of these.

Plagiarism comprises not only direct copying of aspects of another person's work but also the reproduction, even if slightly rewritten or adapted, of someone else's ideas. In both cases someone else's work is presented as the student's own.

Plagiarism has no place in a university. A student who submits work containing plagiarised material for assessment will, therefore, be subject to action under the Student Academic Misconduct Requirements. Proven allegations of plagiarism may lead to suspension or exclusion from a course of study.

Any material which is not the student's own work must be acknowledged clearly in the precise manner specified in the acknowledgment policy indicated in the relevant Subject Outline or assignment specification, or in the rules for thesis submission applicable in the discipline, school or faculty.

Downloading material from the Internet and pasting it without acknowledgement into one's own work is plagiarism. Whether or not the Internet material is “freely” and publicly available, presenting such material as if it were your own is plagiarism.

COPYRIGHT

Another person's work, as well as your own, may be subject to ‘copyright'. Copyright law makes it illegal to reproduce excessive portions or key elements of another person's work without written permission (and payment in many cases). Unauthorised use of the work of another may lead to prosecution. Inclusion of appropriately acknowledged small amounts of another person's work in student work submitted for assessment will normally not attract such attention. However, students should take care to consult with teaching staff when in doubt about the commercial status of potential sources, especially if the work is to be used later for other purposes than assessment. For detailed information consult the Australian Copyright Council http://www.copyright.org.au/ or the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) http://www.copyright.com.au/.

VARIATION OF ASSESSMENT IN INDIVIDUAL CASES — PROCEDURE

1. A request or proposal, on medical or psychological grounds, by or on behalf of an enrolled student for a variation of the method or details of that student's assessment for a particular subject should be accompanied by a medical certificate or psychologist's report as appropriate.

2. When a request or proposal is received without appropriate supporting evidence, the Examinations Officer shall require the evidence to be produced unless it is considered that there are grounds for thinking it unnecessary or inappropriate: in that case, the Examinations Officer shall inform the relevant Pro-Vice-Chancellor, who shall rule on the matter.

3. A written statement by the University Counsellor proposing or supporting the need of the student for the variation may be accepted in lieu of a certificate from a registered medical practitioner in any case which, in the opinion of the relevant Pro-Vice-Chancellor, is within the professional competence of the University Counsellor.

4. Requests for a variation (in an individual student case) of the method or details of assessment for a particular approved subject shall be submitted to the Examinations Officer who will refer the request to the relevant Head of School. If the Head supports the request, it shall be forwarded to the relevant Pro-Vice-Chancellor for approval.

STUDENT DEBTS — WITHHOLDING OF RESULTS

1. In these requirements the term Student Debtor means a student of the University who:

A person continues to be a Student Debtor notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a student of the University.

2. Official notification of the final result in any subject may be withheld from a Student Debtor.

3. The University may refuse to graduate a Student Debtor.

4. The University may refuse enrolment for a Student Debtor for a subsequent academic year.

5. Any result or testamur withheld under these Requirements shall be transmitted to the person concerned as soon as practicable after payment of the debt or debts which caused the result or testamur to be withheld.

6.1 A Student Debtor whose results have been withheld or who has been refused enrolment for a subsequent academic year pursuant to these requirements may make a written submission to the Vice-Chancellor seeking dispensation from these Requirements.

6.2 Upon consideration of the submission of a Student Debtor, the Vice-Chancellor may exercise a discretion on behalf of the University and either: