Marking work

Students who have 'eligible to use blue card' on their Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) can choose to add the blue marking card.

If a blue marking card is submitted with a student's piece of work, the marker should follow the Application of the Blue Card Marking Guidelines. The following approach should be taken:

  • The student is marked on their ability to demonstrate an understanding of the subject using an appropriate academic style.
  • Where the meaning is clear to the reader, the student should not be penalised for poor spelling, poor grammar and awkward sentence structure when these aspects are not part of the learning outcomes.
  • Feedback should be given in a straightforward and accessible manner and preferably typed. When drawing a student's attention to selected sections of their assignment, it is helpful to show where and how criteria have or have not been met. A better understanding is often achieved when examples are given.

For modules where academic standards would be compromised by applying marking concessions, exemption may be requested as outlined in the guidelines. If approved, work marked for these modules should clearly indicate where and how many marks were lost because of poor spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Online submission

Students will no longer need to insert the jpeg of the blue card into their essays if they wish their work to be marked in accordance with the blue card guidelines. Instead, they can add the blue card automatically through the Moodle and Turnitin interfaces at the point of submitting their work. This option is only available to students who are registered with the Inclusive Support Service.

To help you understand the system so you can identify which submissions have the blue marking card added, please use these screencasts.

Marking Turnitin assignments with the blue card

A step-by-step guide on how to identify submissions that include the blue card.

Marking Moodle assignments with the blue card

A step-by-step guide on how to identify submissions that include the blue card.