Health Sciences and Social Care

Biosciences Assessment Block Code BB2803. Module Co-ordinator Ansar Pathan

Guidelines to students
This assessment will take place starting from week 1 and will be handed in on Week 12 in
Term 1. The assessment is a 2000-word scientific paper writing using the set of data
provided. This module has a weighting of 100 % that carries 20 credits.
This assessment block provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate their ability to
evaluate experimental data (relevant to term 1 practical work) and report it in the format of a
scientific journal publication.
Students will need to demonstrate the following:
Knowledge and understanding, cognitive (thinking) skills and other skills and attributes in the
following areas:

Knowledge
Demonstrate how data is evaluated, interpreted and reported in writing to a scientific
audience

Apply knowledge and experience gained from study blocks to produce a coherent
scientific paper

Cognitive
Review data in context of the literature

Integrate information obtained from various sources

Skills
Effective written communication skills

Cite and reference work appropriately

Demonstrate use of sequence databases and basic bioinformatics techniques

Assessment criteria
The following assessment criteria will be used for marking coursework and providing student
feedback

Student number:

Coursework to be marked by:

(Office use only) Work should be returned
by:

Plagiarism is cheating. Plagiarism is the use

of someone else's work without proper
acknowledgement, presenting it as your own.
Any plagiarism discovered in this work will result
in a penalty, varying from deduction of marks to
more serious disciplinary action, according to
the severity of the offence. By signing below,
you certify that this work contains no plagiarism
as defined by the university policy:
http://brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/rules/senateregs By
attaching this form to your work, you are
declaring that this work is free from
plagiarism.

Introduction: relevant and

well structured

disagree

agree

Results: results have been

described in a logical and
coherent way

Comments and suggestions

disagree

agree

Referenced correctly using

suitable, reliable sources

disagree

agree

Methods: ELISA, Real time

PCR and BLAST search
covered
disagree

agree

Discussion: logical
explanations, review of the
in the context of
for data
improvement
literature
disagree

agree

Overall, the write-up is

well-structured, neat,
consistent, written in good
clear English
disagree

Comments and suggestions for improvement

agree

Results: a) correct
interpretation of the data b)
correct correlation of lab
findings with the symptoms
disagree

agree

Conclusion: well supported

by the clinical symptoms and
data sets

disagree

agree

Proposed mark

Markers initials

Marking criteria
Marking criteria are determined by the aims and learning outcomes of each module, the level
of study and the purposes of the assessment (e.g. to evidence academic attainment, safe
practice or practical skill). All assignments, guidelines and marking schedules are subject to
approval by each programmes external examiners prior to their publication and use.
Assignment guidelines should specify what is expected of the student, the desired content
and incorporates the criteria against which performance will be measured. These guidelines
are normally made available at or soon after the commencement of each module.
Below are guidelines for marking all assessed work.
Please note that student entitlement to know final marks only occurs when these have been
confirmed by the Board of Examiners. Interim feedback will be expressed as a grade letter
(A-F) and an indication on areas that could be improved.
BIOSCIENCES: GRADE DESCRIPTORS (FOR INDIVIDUAL ANSWERS)

Mark band

Key to Categories of Marking Criteria

(i) Information and knowledge

Descriptor

Classification for Honours

Degree

(iv) Understanding the topic

(ii) Reading of literature (beyond lectures)

(v) Originality & independent thinking

(iii) Addressing the question

(vi) Clarity, conciseness, logic and structure

(i) Contains the information required with either no or very few errors.
(ii) Shows evidence of having read relevant literature and is able to use this effectively in the answer.
(iii) Addresses the question correctly, understanding all its nuances. Little or no irrelevant material.
(iv) Demonstrates full understanding of topic within a wider context. Shows excellent critical and analytical abilities.

Excellent
70 100
A

First Class

(v) Should contain evidence of sound independent thinking.

(vi) Ideas expressed clearly, and concisely. Essay written logically and with appropriate structure. Standard of English very
high. Diagrams detailed and relevant where appropriate.
(i) Contains most of' the information required with a few minor errors.
(ii) Shows evidence of having read some of the relevant literature and is able to use this in the answer.
(iii) Addresses the question adequately. Little or no irrelevant material.
(iv) Demonstrates substantial understanding of topic within a wider context. Shows good critical and analytical abilities.

Very Good
60 69

Upper Second
B

(v) Shows some independent thinking, some of which may be faulty.

(vi) Ideas generally expressed coherently. Essay written logically and with appropriate structure. Standard of English high.
Diagrams detailed and relevant where appropriate.
(i) Contains the essential core of the information required with some minor errors and only a few major errors.
(ii) May show evidence of having read some relevant literature; fails to understand it or use it correctly in the answer.
(iii) Does not address all aspects of the question. May contain some irrelevant material.
(iv) Demonstrates some understanding of topic and its context. Shows limited critical and analytical abilities.

Good
50 - 59

Lower Second
C

(v) Shows limited independent thinking.

(vi) Ideas not always expressed coherently. Some faults in logic and structure of essay. Standard of English acceptable.
Diagrams present, but not always detailed or relevant where appropriate.
(i) Contains, as a minimum information required for satisfactory completion of the learning outcome being assessed
(ii) Limited evidence of having read relevant literature, fails to understand it or use it correctly in the answer.
(iii) Addresses only some aspects of the question. May include some irrelevant material.
(iv)

40 - 49

Threshold
and above

Demonstrates limited or patchy understanding of the topic and its context. Little evidence of critical and analytical abilities.
D

(v) Shows little independent thinking.

(vi) Ideas rarely expressed coherently. Some faults in logic and structure of essay. English mediocre. Diagrams present, but
lacking in detail and relevance.
(i) Falls short of the minimum amount of information required for satisfactory achievement of the learning outcome being
assessed but suggests that fulfilment of the learning outcome is not beyond the grasp of the student
(ii) Little or no evidence of having read relevant literature.
(iii) Does not really address the question. May include a lot of irrelevant material.
30 - 39

Below
threshold

(iv) Demonstrates little understanding of topic and its context. Very little evidence of critical and analytical abilities.
E
(v) Shows no independent thinking.
(vi) Ideas expressed incoherently. Many faults in logic and structure of essay. Standard of English weak. Diagrams lacking
detail and relevance or no relevant diagrams.
(i) Contains little of the information required and/or substantial factual errors.
(ii) Little or no evidence of having read the relevant literature.
(iii) Fails to address the question either because material is largely irrelevant or because there is little or no information.
(iv) Demonstrates very little understanding of topic and its context. No evidence of critical and analytical abilities.

0 - 29

Fail
F

(v) Shows no independent thinking.

(vi) Ideas expressed incoherently. Many faults in logic and structure of essay. Standard of English poor, any diagrams lacking
detail and relevance or no relevant diagrams.

Third Class