The resit work for this module is an individual written piece of coursework based on the designs of the

original assessments for this module. This resit work amounts to 100% of the module mark (and if you do
not have extenuating circumstances, your mark will be capped at a maximum of 40%).

The submission for this assessment must comprise an electronic copy which should be uploaded to the
VITAL site of this module CIVE263 and sent as an email attachment to Mike Bather on or before the
submission date. Ensure that your electronic documents are orderly and clearly readable. You must name
your files in a way that allows easy recognition, using your student number (e.g. CIVE263 resit ass 1053864
25 July 20 v4).

Individual Resit Assessment Brief

Write a 3000 word essay with the title:

The development of a significant overall improvement in the outcomes of

the design and construction of a small project, with particular reference to
the 2019-20 Footbridge Design Project of CIVE263, and considering
sustainability, health and safety, the application of digital technologies and
the culture of interdisciplinary working.
Plagiarism, cheating and late submission of work
In order to mark all of the submitted work fairly, it must be possible to differentiate between work by the
student and that which has been copied from other sources. It is a requirement of this module that
thorough and correct referencing is used for all work from other sources (drawings, photos, written work
etc.). Following this, it will be assumed that any unreferenced work is being presented as the original
work of the student.

If you are in any doubt on this matter, please come and see the lecturers.

Guidance on ESSAY WRITING

A common problem in essays is weak structure, so before you start writing draw up an essay plan.
Begin with an introduction, which should catch the reader’s interest and indicate your general approach
to the topic. Where appropriate, define concepts. Structure and develop your argument logically, and link
each point to the next by showing how they are related (using such linking words or phrases as: “another
example”, “in addition”, “by contrast”, “alternatively”, “in conclusion” etc. End with a conclusion that
summarises your argument and answers the question.

Students are not expected to produce original ideas (though obviously we would be delighted if you do
so). On the basis of your reading you are expected to present and review a range of viewpoints, often
contradictory of each other or controversial, in a non-partisan manner. You should indicate which
viewpoint you find the more convincing and say why.

You will have to rely on journals, text-books and other material in the development of your argument, but
it essential that you indicate the sources of your material. Indeed, to bring out the extent of political or
analytical controversy, it is important that you do so. Sources of ideas or information must be
acknowledged, both in the text and in the bibliography.

Persuade the reader. An essay should have the form of a reasoned argument: the writer should attempt
to persuade the reader that the line of argument adopted is justified. The success of a piece of work
depends on the persuasiveness of the argument to what the writer must expect to be a sceptical reader.

Argue clearly. A clear argument is not only easier to understand, it also demonstrates a clear
understanding on the part of the writer. Both factors enhance the persuasiveness of the work. Argument”
here means a set of logically related statements, not a heated disagreement.
Introduce your stand-point. A clear argument requires an initial statement of the stance that is to be
adopted. In practice, this may involve some comment on how the question is to be interpreted, what kind
of information is pertinent, and why it is relevant. An introductory statement of this kind provides a
clearer answer than one that immediately launches into the subject matter without an obvious starting
point.

Develop your reasoning. A clear argument will normally involve some development in the reasoning, the
clarity and significance of one point relying on the establishment of a previous point. An essay therefore
requires planning. If there is no clear theme, or if the theme is disjointed, the reader may find the writing
confused.

Keep to the point. Avoid straying from the theme or including irrelevant material. Make sure that what
you include is relevant, and that its relevance is explained.

The ‘facts’ cannot be assumed to speak for themselves. An essay cannot depend for its success on
stating ‘facts’ but must also show the relevance of the facts to the argument.

Relate your argument to established work. In academic writing the persuasiveness of an argument will
largely depend on the extent to which it can be supported with reference to established texts or studies
within the field, whether you wish to support or refute them.

Do not use ‘I’. It is conventional not to use the first person in academic writing. Since the status of your
work depends largely on how far the ideas expressed can be related to ‘authorities’ on the subject, the
task for the writer is to present the preferred line of argument not at the personal ‘I think…..’ but as an
integration of the authoritative ideas in the field, for example, ‘The conclusion is clear….’ rather than ‘I
think that….’.

Conclude by summarising your argument and relating it to the original question or topic.

Acknowledge sources. Examples and quotations drawn from specific studies add weight to an argument
and should be used to illustrate essays. But each and every time this is done, you must include a clear
note of the source of your information or quotation. Where quotations of more than a few words are
used, they should be inset from the margin.

Do not plagiarise. To avoid accusations of plagiarism it is essential to acknowledge other authors’

writing, phrases and ideas with quotation marks and in the ways described in the previous paragraphs.
Paraphrasing and using evidence cited by other authors must also be acknowledged.

Clear language communicates your ideas with precision. Ultimately, the ability to handle concepts and
language with clarity and purpose will be what you can sell to an employer. Learn to use words
accurately and check their meaning and spelling in a dictionary if you are unsure. When reading, notice
how published authors use the language to make their points clearly.

Cultivate a concise style that avoids circumlocution (ten words where two would do), padding and slang.
Use punctuation to clarify sentence structure and to help the reader understand your meaning. These
skills may not have been taught you at school, but they can be developed with practice.

Punctuation should be used to indicate sentence structure, for example with commas to mark off a sub-
clause like this, and not just inserted a random when you run out of breath. Conversely, it is not enough
to join two sentences by a comma. Instead think of a linking word or phrase which shows the
relationship between them. If you have not been taught English language grammar and punctuation,
now is the time to work on it!

Before handing in your work, read it over carefully several times to check for meaning, spellings,
sentence structure and punctuation. And finally, consider your own work against the following questions:

Content: Does it answer the question? Are the facts and examples true?
Analysis: How well does the essay carry out the process required by the question?
Argument: How well are the links made between analysis and examples?
Does the conclusion follow logically from the analysis and examples?
Structure: Is there logical development from introduction through central sections of development to a
clear conclusion?
References: Is the argument linked to relevant literature, and are these links shown?
Sources: How relevant and recent are the sources used? Have you shown initiative in searching out
source material? Have you omitted essential items?
Style: Is the writing clear in its meaning, readable, and concise?
Presentation: Is the essay correctly headed, neat in appearance and with numbered pages?

The University has a Code of Practice on Assessment which brings together the main institutional
policies and rules on assessment. The Code is an authoritative statement of the philosophy and
principles underlying all assessment activities and of the University’s expectations in relation to how
academic subjects design, implement and review assessment strategies for all taught programmes of
study.

Please click here to access the Code of Practice on Assessment and its appendices. A summary of key
assessment information is also available in the Your University Handbook

Table of marking descriptors

Knowledge and Intellectual Skills Transferable Skills

Understanding
100% The best answer that could reasonably be expected from a student at that
level of study under the prevailing conditions (i.e. exam or coursework)
90-99% Total coverage of the Extremely creative and Extremely clear
‘Outstanding’ task set. Exceptional imaginative approach. exposition. Excellently
demonstration of Comprehensive and structured and logical
knowledge and accurate analysis. answer. Excellent
understanding Well-argued presentation, only the
appropriately grounded conclusions. Perceptive most insignificant errors
in theory and relevant self-assessment.
literature.
80-89% As ‘Outstanding’ but As ‘Outstanding’ but As ‘Outstanding’ but
‘Excellent’ with some minor slightly less imaginative with some minor
weaknesses or gaps in and with some minor weaknesses in
knowledge and gaps in analysis and/or structure, logic and/or
understanding. conclusions presentation.
70-79% Full coverage of the Some creative and Generally clear
‘Very Good’ task set. Generally very imaginative features. exposition. Satisfactory
good demonstration of Very good and structure. Very good
knowledge and generally accurate presentation, largely
understanding but with analysis. Sound free of grammatical and
some modest gaps. conclusions. Some other errors.
Good grounding in self-assessment.
theory.
60-69% As ‘Very Good’ but with As ‘Very Good’ but As ‘Very Good’ but with
‘Comprehensive’ more and/or more analysis and some weaknesses in
significant gaps in conclusions contain exposition and/or
knowledge and some minor structure and a few
understanding and weaknesses. more grammatical and
some significant gaps in other errors.
grounding
50-59% Covers most of the task Rather limited creative Competent exposition
‘Competent’ set. Patchy knowledge and imaginative and structure.
and understanding with features. Patchy Competent presentation
limited grounding in analysis containing but some significant
literature. significant flaws. grammatical and other
Rather limited errors.
conclusions. No self-
assessment.
 Knowledge and Intellectual Skills Transferable Skills
Understanding
40-49% As ‘Competent’ but As ‘Competent’ but As ‘Competent’ but with
‘Adequate’ patchy coverage of the probably without much more weaknesses in
task set and more imagination. Shows exposition, structure,
weaknesses and/or barely adequate ability presentation and/or
omissions in knowledge to analyse and draw errors. Just meets the
and understanding. conclusions. Just threshold level.
Just meets the meets the threshold
threshold level. level.
35-39% Some parts of the set No creative or Somewhat confused
‘Compensatable fail’ task likely to have been imaginative features. and limited exposition.
omitted. Major gaps in Analysis and Confused structure.
knowledge and conclusions rather Some weaknesses in
understanding. Some limited. Falls just short presentation and some
significant confusion. of the threshold level. serious grammatical
Very limited grounding. and other errors. Falls
Falls just short of the just short of the
threshold level. threshold level.
20-34% As ‘Compensatable Fail’ As ‘Compensatable Fail’ As ‘Compensatable Fail’
‘Deficient’ but with major but analysis and/or but with more serious
omissions and/or major conclusions may have weaknesses in
gaps in knowledge and been omitted. Falls presentation and/or
understanding. Falls substantially below the grammar. Falls
substantially below the threshold level. substantially below the
threshold level. threshold level.
0-20% Substantial sections of No creative or Largely confused
‘Extremely weak’ the task not covered. imaginative features. exposition and
Knowledge and Analysis extremely structure. Many serious
understanding very weak or omitted. No grammatical and other
limited and/or largely conclusions. errors.
incorrect. No grounding
in theory.