1.2 The specific assessment approach adopted at the University of Queensland and addressed by the various Teaching and Learning Committees is called [Criterion Referenced Assessment]. This method explicitly defines the relationship between assessment and the learning objectives, the standards to be met and the performance expectations held of students.
2.1 Principles of assessment
(d) The assessment methods used must be shown to achieve consistent and fair results.
(h) Marks and grades should be awarded by reference to predetermined standards.
(i) Timely and quality feedback is fundamental to the learning process and some form of feedback should be offered on every item of assessment
http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/contents/view.asp?s1=3&s2=30&s3=1
2.1 Progressive assessment
All items of progressive assessment completed by a student should be marked promptly and returned to the student with feedback and the mark and/or grade.
Feedback can be delivered by a variety of methods and may vary in its level of detail and intensity, depending, among other things, on the relative importance of the assessment item and the resources available. Feedback may include discussion, continuous (perhaps informal) assessment to track progress, written comments on work, model answers, lists of common mistakes, peer and self-evaluation, and form feedback sheets containing common criticisms and some individual comment.
http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/contents/view.asp?s1=3&s2=30&s3=6
2. Amount, mode and spread of assessment
There should be sufficient assessment, based on the course goals and predetermined assessment criteria and standards, to ensure that judgements made about student performance are as valid as possible.
In the overall design of the assessment regime academic staff should adhere to the following guidelines.
(a) Progressive assessment, provision of feedback, and formative assessment are crucial for all students learning.
(e) Where possible, a single method of assessment should not be relied upon.
(g) The quantity and type of assessment should allow academic staff to provide accurate marks and/or grades, in a timely manner.
(h) Assessment should be spread across the semester and timely feedback should be provided that identifies what the student has achieved satisfactorily and ways in which the student can improve.
http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/contents/view.asp?s1=3&s2=30&s3=2
2.8 Assessment Details:
[Provide]
the assessment criteria by which a students level of achievement will be judged
2.13 Notification of Availability of Feedback:
Include reference to the availability of timely feedback on all progressive assessment
http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/contents/view.asp?s1=3&s2=20&s3=9
Criterion referenced assessment is the assessment of the extent to which a student achieved the goals of a course. This assessment will be carried out against previously specified yardsticks (criteria) and, where a grade is assigned, it will be assigned on the basis of the standard the student has achieved on each of the criteria. A diagrammatic model of criterion referenced assessment is shown below.
http://www.tedi.uq.edu.au/Assess/Assessment/cra.html