Submitting Assignments – TMAs and iCMAs

Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs)

Most modules have a number of TMAs throughout. Each one can be an essay, a series of questions, a skills test, a speaking assessment or something else that allows the student to show what they have learned. They all have a submission deadline.

TMAs can be submitted in the following ways:

Via The Open University's online eTMA system

• To do this the TMA needs to be a single file of up to 10MB in size which has been saved in a file format compatible with Microsoft Word* (a .doc, .docx or .rtf file)

By email to the eTMA mailbox

• As above, the TMA must be a single file of up to 10MB in size which has been saved in a file format compatible with Microsoft Word* (a .doc, .docx or .rtf file)
• Attach the TMA file as a single attachment to a blank email
• In the subject field put the student's Personal Identifier (PI) number, the module code and the TMA number, each separated by a slash – for example P1234567/B999/01
• Send it to etma@open.ac.uk
• The feedback will also be sent via email and will be returned to the email address used to submit the assignment. You will also receive a confirmation email confirming receipt of the assignment, we recommend that you keep hold of this until the assignment has been returned as proof of submission.

Note: Keep the file name to a maximum of 44 characters long. This enables the tutor to add some characters to the name once the file has been marked. This method isn’t immediate and it may take a while before you get an email back to say the TMA has been received. If you don't get confirmation within 12 hours it probably hasn’t been received and you should submit it again.

* This is the general submission rules but some modules apply specific rules to the file submission format.

Paper Submission

Online/email submission of TMAs is preferable as it ensures the file enters the marking system directly. However, if this is not possible please post to the address below. If posting, we would advise keeping a copy of the TMA where possible.

SiSE Accessibility team
Students in Secure Environments
The Open University
Frank Henshaw Building
Hammerwood Gate
East Campus
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BY

Once the tutor has marked the assignment they submit it to the Assignment Handling Office who will return the TMA to the student along with the grade and feedback.

Interactive Computer-Marked Assignments (iCMAs)

Unlike TMAs, iCMAs are not normally marked by the tutor but are marked automatically online or by the module team.

iCMAs can be submitted in the following ways:

Via the Virtual Campus

• Folow the on-screen instructions and click the ‘Submit All’ button
• The student should get instant feedback once the iCMA is submitted. Once the iCMA cut-off date has passed the student should be able to access further feedback via the review button.

By post or email

If posting, we would advise keeping a copy of the iCMA where possible.

SiSE Accessibility team
Students in Secure Environments
The Open University
Frank Henshaw Building
Hammerwood Gate
East Campus
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BY

sise-accessibility@open.ac.uk

Special Circumstances - TMAs and iCMAs

If something happens which negatively affects a students performance in an assignment, they can ask the Module Result Panel to take this into account when the module result is agreed. It can relate to a TMA, iCMA or any other part of the continuous assessment. It must be something that affected the student for four weeks or more up to the submission cut-off date.

What are special circumstances?

Special circumstances can only be considered in exceptional cases. The kinds of special circumstance we may make allowance for include:

• serious and prolonged illness
• bereavement
• serious disruption of studies caused by the prison
• serious disruption of studies caused by the University
• inadequate adjustments made by the University for any disability or additional requirement the OU has been told about.

The information provided about the special circumstances will only be used to the benefit of the student. It’s passed to the Module Result Panel for them to consider when they meet to agree the final result. However, the Panel can only give limited weight to any information provided and don't consider events that could have been anticipated.

How to submit special circumstances

To inform the University about special circumstances affecting a student in a prison or a secure hospital unit, complete and submit the Special Circumstances form.

A separate form must be submitted for each module where the student feels the circumstances affected their performance.

The form(s) must be received before midnight (UK local time) four calendar days after the cut-off date of the final piece of module assessment.

Written third party evidence of what happened to adversely affect their performance must be provided and must be received within 14 days of submitting the form.

For more information about special circumstances please contact your regional SiSE support team

Back to top