Analysis of Peer‐, Self‐ and Staff‐assessment in Group Project Work

Abstract

Abstract Group projects were carried out by a class of 130 first‐year undergraduate students in biosciences. Seven possible sources of assessment at three stages of the projects were identified and practical considerations allowed four of these to be undertaken: peer‐assessment by the students of contributions towards (i) the practical work and (ii) towards the preparation of a scientific poster; (iii) peer assessment of poster presentations by other groups; (iv) assessment by staff of the poster presentations. These assessments provided complementary information to that obtained from more traditional methods of assessment, such as formal examinations. Peer (student)‐assessments appeared to provide more norm‐referenced assessments than corresponding staff‐assessments, although significant ‘assessor‐based’ variation was evident in both. Variations in the projects themselves also influenced the assessments made.