Improving quality and consistency of dissertation assessment

During the last decade, there has been increasing calls for Higher Education to
improve standards, increase the quality of assessment, and for greater accountability
of lecturers. It is recognised that consistency in assessment is even more important
where assessment is through one large piece of work, such as a dissertation, and
where the assessment outcome will have a significant impact on the final grade of
students. In this context, this paper outlines the initial literature findings and results of
an exercise associated with mechanism used in assessing undergraduate dissertations.
This project aims to identify good practices for dissertation assessment, in an attempt
to improve the quality and consistency of assessment. Several initiatives were
undertaken to improve the quality and consistency of existing dissertation programme
drawing from the outcomes of the study.