Responding to summative assessment feedback – a student’s perspective

With results day passed, we now know the marks we have received for last semester’s set of exams and assignments. As law students, these can often mean quite a significant amount – particularly if we are hoping to go on to become solicitors and barristers or applying for training contracts. Disappointing marks in assignments can often feel like setbacks along that journey. I’d like to talk about how to respond to those setbacks.

First off, I think it’s important to maintain perspective. Even if you are in your final year, where grades count for more of your overall degree classing than previous years, a mark will only represent how you did in one of twelve modules you take at law school. Furthermore, recruiters and law firms will be looking for much more beyond the marks you receive. Of course, these marks are important, and there is probably a higher threshold for bigger law firms, but so is the stuff you do outside of classes. Your involvement in a sport society, or volunteering at a local op-shop might stand out to employees more so than if you scored a few marks higher in one of your modules.

On that, it is also important to remember that university isn’t all about marks. I know personally I have chosen to spend time with friends rather than revise in certain situations because that is important to me, it fills me with joy that helps bolster my mental health. Of course, there is a balance, you are going to have to put in hours revising and reading at times.

Marks are a great chance to receive feedback from lecturers about your understanding of the material, and your response to exam questions. If you’re in first or second year, this is a great chance to learn how to answer questions more effectively in future exams or assignments. I’d really recommend booking into the consultation hours for the member of staff that marked your work, and just chatting to them about why you received the grade you did. It is then a matter of putting that into practice next time!

The final thing I’d like to say is to be compassionate with yourself. It is so easy to beat ourselves up over a poor mark, feeling like we should have studied more or performed better. I often like to take a few days after receiving marks and feedback to process it, before revisiting that feedback and taking notes on what I can be working on to improve. Celebrate the progress you are making when you look at feedback!

By Todd Langstaff

Wellbeing Ambassador for the School of Law 

Consultation hours book in: Law academic staff | Law | The University of Sheffield