2. Students

This guide summarises the essential steps you need to submit an assignment, and is also available as a PDF file to save or print.

Full details are given in the LSS UG Assessment Handbook, which you can find in the Assessment area of the LSS Undergraduate Information course on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to study the information in the Handbook as it outlines many of your obligations in completing your degree.

A short video (7 minutes) explains these essential steps, including how to submit an assignment using Turnitin. Click the image below to view the video, or read the script: How to submit your work using Turnitin

You will also find step-by-step instructions on the student TLC site:

• How to submit an assignment to Turnitin
• How to submit an assignment to Blackboard

Why should you read this guide and follow its advice?

Every year a number of LSS students fail a module and have to resubmit new work during the summer because they made a mistake when submitting an assignment, such as submitting the wrong file or submitting it to the wrong module. Follow these four simple rules to avoid making a mistake:

Rule 1: Don’t leave submission until the last minute

All LSS assignments, unless you are told otherwise, allow you to resubmit before the deadline. This means that you can submit your work as soon as it is finished, then submit an updated and improved version later if you want to. Whatever you do, don’t leave submission until the last minute unless you really don’t mind getting a penalty for late submission. No excuses!

Rule 2: Save your final version as PDF

Think of this as “printing” the work you want to submit as a PDF file. It is easy to do, and gives a clear difference between the final version (the PDF file) and all the work-in-progress versions you may have saved (e.g. Word DOCX files).

Unless instructed otherwise, all work submitted must be a PDF file.

You should also use this opportunity to save the PDF using a filename that helps you avoid mistakes when you submit it. A good rule is to use your 6-digit candidate number + the module code + the assignment name, e.g. 123456 LF1100 Assignment 2.PDF

• Files submitted using Turnitin must not be larger than 400 pages and/or 40 MB.
• Files submitted using Blackboard Assignments must not be larger than 20MB.
• Do not include any special characters (e.g. !”£$%^&*()#’@[]{};:’|/,<>) in the filename.

Rule 3: Include your candidate number (only) when submitting

Your submission’s title page MUST include your candidate number or a mark of zero may be recorded.

For Turnitin submissions, you MUST ALSO type your candidate number as the Submission Title.

For Blackboard submissions, you MUST ALSO type your candidate number in the Comments.

Remember that all submitted work should ONLY include your candidate number on the title page and NOT your name, email or student number unless specifically instructed to do otherwise.

Rule 4: Check the preview of your submission

Turnitin submissions show you a preview of the file you are ABOUT TO SUBMIT.
You MUST check this to ensure that you have selected the correct file and that all the pages look OK. Complete the submission process by scrolling scroll down the page and clicking on the Confirm button.
If you do not click Confirm, your assignment will not be submitted to Turnitin.

Blackboard submissions show you a preview of the file that you HAVE JUST SUBMITTED.
You MUST check this to ensure that you have selected the correct file and that all the pages look OK. Note that it often takes a few seconds for the preview to become available, so please be patient.

You don’t need to read these previews in detail (apart from the assignment title) as this is really just a quick visual check that the file is the correct one and that it uploaded without any problems.

Note that it is your responsibility to check the preview every time you submit an assignment, so submitting the wrong file will mean you score zero marks! Think of this as good training for your professional career, where mistakes like this can have serious real-world consequences. If you realise you have submitted the wrong file simply click Cancel or Start Over and submit the correct file.

If there is a technical problem

Email your tutor immediately, and copy your message to the LSS NX04 Helpdesk lss_nx04@aston.ac.uk

Include the module code, the name of the assignment, a screenshot if possible and details of your computer and browser (e.g. Safari on a MacBook or Chrome on a Windows laptop).