A. For 2015/2016 onwards, all official module marks are returned via Blackboard Grade Centre. Official marks return via Blackboard Grade Centre has the benefit of showing the course instance for each student taking a particular module. This online marks return system facilitates an easier way to track component assessments within the module and also to reduce risk to the University with the whitesheet system, which had grown beyond its capabilities. Refer to the step-by-step guide provided by CELT.

Q. How do I know that my marks are successfully returned?

A. Click for information on performing the Mark Extraction

On clicking the Perform Extract button, you should be brought back to the Grade Centre and see a green banner confirming the extract (sample shown below)

If you need to check that the extract was performed, go to Mark Approval and Transfer, where you will see a record of all extractions from that module code to date (sample shown below).

Q. Are whitesheets still available?

A. Whitesheets are no longer available.

Q. How do external examiners sign off on marks?

A. The process for external examiners to sign off marks remains local to the School or College as it is not part of an electronic marks submission system.

Q. How do I return provisional results?

A. All provisional marks are entered directly into Blackboard Grade Centre. Refer to the step-by-step guide provided by CELT.
Please note that the Examinations Office does not release provisional results to students.

Q. Where can I get whitesheets for provisional results?
A. Whitesheets are no longer available. Blackboard Grade Centre must be used for provisional results.

Q. What can I use instead of a whitesheet?
A. You can extract a spreadsheet from Blackboard Grade Centre.

Q. When the marks are extracted from Blackboard Grade Centre, how long does it take for those marks to be visible in Quercus?

A. The marks leave Blackboard immediately, once “Perform Extract” is completed. However it can take 60 to 90 mins for the module marks to be visible in Quercus.

Q. When should a mark of Incomplete be used?
A. Examiners are advised to refer to the College Office for advice on the designation of Incomplete.

Q. I deleted the column in Blackboard Grade Centre entitled “Final Marks” – what should I do?

A. The original “Final Marks” column is required in order to return official marks. If this column has been deleted, you must log a ticket to ISS with a request to restore it. It is important to note that manually creating the column will not allow successful return of official marks.

Q. Can I return a mark with a decimal point?

A. No. The only valid mark that can be returned is either a whole number from 0 to 100 or INC.

Q. What mark should be returned in the 1st Sitting if I know that a student has a deferral for the module?

A. The only valid mark that can be returned is either a whole number from 0 to 100 or INC.
As deferrals are approved by the Dean of College, the examiner must return a mark without any consideration of a deferral application by the student. The examiner is advised to return a mark based on the assessment(s) for the module.

Q. In which column should the mark be input when I know that a student deferred the 1st Sitting?

A. If a student deferred the 1st sitting, they obtained a result of DEF in the 1st sitting. After the 1st sitting is complete, a 2nd sitting mark will be due for this student. The 2nd Sitting mark must be input to the 2nd Sit Mark column in Blackboard Grade Centre.

Q. What mark should be returned if I know that a student has an Exam Security Group penalty for the module?

A. The examiner must return a mark without any consideration of an Exam Security Group decision. The examiner is advised to return a mark based on the assessment(s) for the module.

Q. If I extracted marks in January for Semester 1 modules, do I need to extract marks again?

A. If you extracted final marks in January 2017 for Semester 1 modules by clicking the Perform Extract button in Blackboard Grade Centre, those marks have been returned. You have the option of updating the module marks and extracting final marks again up until the deadline for official marks return. The Perform Extract button will be available in Blackboard Grade Centre until 31st January 2017. From 1st March 2017 onwards, the Perform Extract button will be available again for official marks return of both Semester 1 and Semester 2 module marks.

Q. When is the "Perform Extract" button available in Blackboard Grade Centre?

A. The Perform Extract button will be available in Blackboard Grade Centre until 31st January 2017 for return of final marks for Semester 1 modules.
From 1st March 2017 onwards, the Perform Extract button will be available again for official marks return of both Semester 1 and Semester 2 module marks.

Q. How will I know what students are in the 2nd Sitting?

A. 2nd Sitting students will be clearly identified in Blackboard Grade Centre. Similar to whitesheet availability in previous years, this will be visible in Grade Centre in early July following release of all official 1st sitting results.

Q. Will the Final Mark column in Blackboard Grade Centre ever be made visible to students?

A. No, the Final Mark column should be used only for the purpose of returning official results to the Examinations Office. Official, post exam board, results will be released to students, as in previous years, via the Examinations Office.

Q. For a module with Continuous Assessment (CA) component and an exam, but where the student is absent for the exam, what mark should be returned?

A. The only valid mark that can be returned is either a whole number from 0 to 100 or INC. Examiners are advised to check with the School/College to ensure the mark returned is in line with standard practice.

Q. What mark should be returned in the case of students who are absent from the exam?

A. The only valid mark that can be returned is either a whole number from 0 to 100 or INC.
If the exam is 100% of the assessment, a mark of zero is generally used when a student is Absent. However, examiners are advised to check with the School/College to ensure the mark returned is in line with standard practice.

Q. What mark should be input when the module is subject to capping?

A. Examiners are asked to return a mark to the Blackboard Grade Centre in the 2nd Sit Mark column without any consideration of capping. Capping will be applied automatically by the Examinations Office immediately after the marks return deadline.

Q. When should the Final Mark column be used for Autumn marks?

A. This applies to a very small minority of cases i.e. where there was no 1st Sitting for the course instance in the Summer. For example, a PG course that didn’t go to the Summer exam board. In that case, as a 1st sitting mark has never been returned and the mark should be input to the Final Marks column.

Examinations Office, National University of Ireland, Galway.
Phone: +353 (0)91 495999 E-mail: sid

nuigalway.ie
This page was last updated Monday, August 21, 2017