Assessment Length Equivalents
Providing a choice of forms of assessment is an inclusive way to encourage students to take ownership of their learning and develop new skills. The following table provides suggestions on setting assessment length requirements for multiple forms of assessment. These are based on current practice at Durham and other universities, but are recommendations rather than policy; reasonable length equivalents may differ depending on the type of assessment.
General guideline: 1,000 words = 8-10 minute presentation = 8-10 minutes of audio/video recording = A1 poster
Written assessment | Presentation or audio/video recording | Poster |
1,000 words | 8-10 minutes | A1 + references |
2,000 words | 16-20 minutes | A0 + references |
3,000 words | 24-30 minutes | A0 + 1,000 words or equivalent |
4,000 words | 32-40 minutes | A0 + 2,000 words or equivalent |
5,000 words | 40-50 minutes | A0 + 3,000 words or equivalent |
See Diversifying Assessment for more on choosing the best assessment formats for your modules.