Writing an Effective Assessment Brief
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What does an assessment brief look like?
All summative assessments - assignments and exams - must have clear, explicit and transparent information on learning outcomes, format and assessment criteria to enable full understanding of what is required and expected of students, and why it is important (or how it contributes) to overall programme learning outcomes.
Assessment briefs promote transparency, fairness, and effective learning. Helping students to engage with the assessment task more confidently facilitates their development as independent learners and enhances their learning as they progress through their degree programme.
In addition, offering detailed assessment briefs can support students to navigate the transition from A-level to undergraduate assessment, or from undergraduate to postgraduate level study. It’s important that we ease the transition for students and support their development as independent learners in higher education.
Title and Overview
- Provide a clear and concise title that reflects the nature of the assessment task
- Signpost the assessment weighting in the title (e.g. 20% / Formative)
- Give a brief overview of the assessment, outlining its purpose and relevance to the module, discipline and programme
- If appropriate, emphasise the difference from A-level assessment to undergraduate or undergraduate to postgraduate to help students understand the higher level of critical thinking, depth of analysis, and independent research expected at that level of assessment
Assessment Task Description
- Provide a detailed description of the task requirements. Explain what students need to do to complete the assessment successfully (see our guidance on )
- Specify any format, structure, word count or guidelines that students should follow
- Use clear and concise language to avoid confusion
Submission Requirements
- Provide the deadline for submission and any interim milestones or checkpoints, if applicable
- Remind students that they can find assessment information in the assignments area of Canvas
- Specify the submission method and any specific requirements, such as file formats or naming conventions, and links to the assessment submission area on Canvas
- Provide guidance on how students can plan and organise their workload effectively. Supporting students to develop effective time management and assessment planning skills may help avoid last minute panic and reduce PEC submissions
Setting Expectations for Use of AI
- 缅北禁地鈥檚 central AI guidance provides a broad framework to help colleagues consider the use and impact of AI in assessment, including the need to redesign any assessments that are . Beyond this, all assignment briefs will need to clearly define expectations and permitted uses of AI; this boundary setting helps not only students 鈥� who may feel anxious about the lack of clear context-specific instructions on appropriate AI use 鈥� but also colleagues who must mark that work.
- Please see our for several examples of AI expectation setting that can be copied and adapted. It is also important to remind students of our comprehensive AI guidance which they can refer to for more detailed support on the responsible, appropriate and ethical uses of AI.
Assessment Rubric
- Provide a clear assessment rubric or criteria that aligns with the learning outcomes.
- Breaking down the criteria into specific components or dimensions and defining distinct levels of achievement helps students understand how their work will be evaluated in relation to the desired learning outcomes
- Include the use and expectations of AI in the assessment criteria
Supportive Resources
- Include specific resources or materials that students must use or refer to in their work. This could include scaffolded recommended reading, journal articles, or online resources
- Give your student an opportunity to clarify the assessment brief
- Signpost support available (office hours, Academic Skills Team, Library Team)
Exam brief guidelines
Similarly, a good Exam Brief should give students a clear and reliable picture of the conditions under which they will be assessed (e.g. the types of questions they will encounter or whether they will have a choice of questions). Specify the exam format and duration, whether it is open or closed book, any resources or equipment that are permitted, alignment to learning outcomes, and any requirements specific to the exam. Check that this information is accurate and consistent with the approved assessment arrangements and relevant University guidance. For centrally managed information such as the date, time, and venue, direct students to their personal exam timetable rather than duplicating information in your course.
Using your new Canvas assessment聽templates
From the 2026/27 academic year onwards, we have made small changes to how assessment information is presented on Canvas. Feedback has shown that students struggle to find assignment briefs and exam information when it is spread across multiple locations, and have asked for it to be presented more consistently across their programmes, in the same place across modules, and structured in a clear and standard format.
In response, a new Assessment Information module has been added to the Modules area of each Canvas course. This will act as the central location for assignment and exam information, making it easier for students to find the guidance, submission dates and resources they need. An auto-generated Assessment Summary page will also give students an overview of all assessments on a module.
Slightly updated Assignment Brief templates have also been developed. These provide a consistent structure for key information such as deadlines, feedback release dates, submission requirements, guidance on the use of AI, alignment to module learning outcomes, and details and dates of mark and feedback release. Tailored templates have been created for different assessment types to reduce the amount of editing required and to support a more consistent student experience.