Undergraduate Assessment Research Project
Purpose of the Project
The Student Union is currently undertaking a research project into undergraduate assessment at the university. At a time when other universities have broadened their range of assessment methods, Covid led to experimentation even here at Oxford and Large Language Models have created fear around plagiarism, there is a period of flux with assessment methods.
The purpose of this project is to ensure that Sabbatical Officers are well informed as the university continues to think through its assessment methods. This means understanding:
- What students and faculty see as the purpose of examination
- The degree to which exams fairly assess students
- The value of different assessment methods and structures, and the options for change
Information We Seek
We therefore seek information from across the undergraduate body, with a particular interest in:
- The experiences of marginalised or minoritised students with varied assessment methods
- The experience of students with multiple forms of assessment to allow comparison between them and to understand the experience of multiplicity itself
- The knowledge of Course Reps and Divisional Reps, especially if they have insight into the experience of finalists with final-year assessment
Undergraduate Cost of Study Research Project
Purpose of the Project
The Student Union is currently undertaking a research project into the cost of study for undergraduates at the university. Given the cost-of-living crisis and rising fees for both domestic and international students, we’re especially aware of the financial pressures facing students.
The aim of this project is to ensure that Sabbatical Officers are well informed as the university considers its approach to aspects of the cost of study. This means we seek to understand:
- Where costs come from for students, especially costs within the control of the university such as fees and course-related costs
- What financial support is available for students, the eligibility criteria and
- The effect of financial pressures on students
Information We Seek
We therefore seek information from across the undergraduate body, with a particular interest in:
- The effects on marginalised groups of all kinds, especially given varied eligibility criteria for financial support and the different costs that face and financial means of different groups
- An understanding of the origins of financial pressures, especially where the university has an influence on them
- An understanding of the availability of financial support, especially on who slips through gaps in provision