PGTA Quiz Questions

Content Understanding Questions

Set 1: Teaching as Postgraduate Teaching Assistants

1. What is the primary purpose of requiring postgraduate students to serve as PGTAs?

• A) To reduce the workload of faculty members
• B) To provide teaching training as part of postgraduate education
• C) To evaluate students' research abilities

2. What are common responsibilities of PGTAs?

• A) Conducting independent research for the department
• B) Marking assignments, teaching tutorials, and managing courses on the LMS
• C) Preparing the department’s annual report

3. Which skill is NOT explicitly mentioned as essential for PGTAs?

• A) Presentation skills
• B) Problem-solving skills
• C) Examination skills

4. How are TA workloads distributed among PGTAs?

• A) Equally, without consideration of ability or background
• B) Based on seniority and years of experience
• C) Fairly, considering each PGTA’s ability and background

5. What must students applying for off-campus research or internships provide?

• A) A recommendation letter from their supervisor
• B) Written justification that they can still complete PGTA duties
• C) A detailed report on their research progress

Set 2: Expectations for PGTA Duties

6. What should a PGTA do if they are unfamiliar with certain course materials?

• A) Avoid the topic during tutorials and focus on familiar content
• B) Consult the course instructor and study the materials to catch up
• C) Delegate the task to another PGTA

7. What is the standard timeframe for manual assessment grading by a PGTA?

• A) Within two days
• B) Within a week
• C) Within the end of the semester

8. What should a PGTA do if they anticipate being unable to meet a grading deadline?

• A) Request an extension at least one day before the deadline
• B) Inform the course instructor as soon as possible to allow contingency plans
• C) Complete grading as quickly as possible without notifying the instructor

9. How quickly are PGTAs expected to respond to emails during regular office hours?

• A) Within 3 hours
• B) Within 12 hours
• C) Within 24 hours

10. What is the primary expectation regarding sensitive assessment materials like exams or assignments?

• A) Share them with fellow PGTAs for feedback
• B) Keep them confidential unless explicitly approved by the instructor
• C) Use them as study references for students

Set 3: Handling Unsatisfactory PGTA Performance

11. What is the first step a course coordinator/instructor should take when a PGTA displays unsatisfactory performance?

• A) Report the case directly to the PG coordinator
• B) Issue a warning outlining required improvements and potential consequences
• C) Suspend the PGTA's duties immediately

12. What happens if a PGTA's performance does not improve after a warning?

• A) They will be immediately suspended from all TA duties
• B) Their case may be reported to the PG coordinator at the end of the semester
• C) Their thesis will be automatically delayed

13. What is required of PGTAs who fail to perform satisfactorily before taking another TA assignment?

• A) Retake the course they are assisting
• B) Undergo a CEI consultation with a targeted teaching demo or observation
• C) Submit a written apology to the course coordinator

14. How does unsatisfactory PGTA performance affect funding eligibility?

• A) PGTAs lose eligibility for all forms of funding permanently
• B) It affects their eligibility for certain funding, such as Research Travel Grants, for one year
• C) It has no impact on funding eligibility

15. What must PGTAs do before submitting their MPhil/PhD thesis?

• A) Complete all required TA duties satisfactorily
• B) Receive approval from their thesis supervisor
• C) Submit a formal request to the course coordinator

Contextual Behavior Questions

Set 1: Teaching as Postgraduate Teaching Assistants

16. You are a PGTA and notice that your assigned TA workload is significantly higher than your peers. What is the appropriate first step to address this?

• A) Complain directly to the department head
• B) Raise the issue with the course coordinator or instructor
• C) Delegate some tasks to other students

17. During a tutorial session, a student asks a question you do not know the answer to. How should you respond?

• A) Admit you do not know and promise to follow up with the answer later
• B) Ignore the question and move on to the next topic
• C) Make an educated guess to avoid looking unprepared

18. As a PGTA, you are tasked with marking assignments. What is the best way to ensure fairness and consistency?

• A) Follow the marking rubric provided and consult with the instructor if needed
• B) Grade based on your own understanding of the topic
• C) Grade leniently to avoid complaints from students

19. Your supervisor asks you to skip your PGTA duties to prioritize research tasks. What should you do?

• A) Agree to the supervisor’s request to maintain a good relationship
• B) Politely inform your supervisor that PGTA duties are mandatory and cannot be skipped
• C) Ask a fellow student to take over your duties

20. You are assigned to invigilate a test, but you have a research presentation scheduled at the same time. What is the most appropriate course of action?

• A) Notify the course coordinator immediately and request a replacement
• B) Skip the test invigilation to attend the presentation
• C) Ask a fellow PGTA to cover for you without informing the coordinator

Set 2: Expectations for PGTA Duties

21. You are asked to conduct a lab session but are unfamiliar with the software tools required. What is the most appropriate action?

• A) Learn and practice the software tools before the session, consulting the instructor if needed
• B) Avoid using the tools and focus on theoretical content
• C) Ask students to explore the tools on their own during the session

22. A student emails you regarding their assignment grade but does not include their student ID. How should you handle this?

• A) Ignore the email until the student provides all necessary details
• B) Politely ask the student to provide their student ID for verification
• C) Provide the grade based on the student’s name alone

23. You are unable to fulfill your TA duties due to a planned conference. What is the proper procedure?

• A) Inform the course instructor and request approval at least 2 weeks in advance
• B) Notify the instructor a few days before the conference
• C) Skip the duties and inform the instructor after the conference

24. A student challenges the fairness of your grading. What is the best course of action?

• A) Reassess the grade and provide an explanation to the student
• B) Report the issue to the course instructor immediately
• C) Refuse to discuss the grading and insist it is final

25. During a tutorial, a student disrupts the session with aggressive behavior. How should you respond?

• A) Stay calm, act professionally, and report the incident to the instructor if necessary
• B) Confront the student directly to resolve the conflict on the spot
• C) End the tutorial early to avoid further disruption

Set 3: Handling Unsatisfactory PGTA Performance

26. As a course coordinator or instructor, a PGTA under your supervision consistently delivers poor performance despite receiving a warning. What should you do next?

• A) Suspend their TA duties immediately
• B) Report the case to the PG coordinator at the end of the semester
• C) Ignore the issue and let it resolve naturally

27. A PGTA requests to submit their thesis before completing their TA duties. What should they do?

• A) Obtain exceptional approval from the course instructor
• B) Submit the thesis without informing anyone
• C) Wait until the completion of TA duties

28. You are a PGTA and receive a warning for unsatisfactory performance. What should you do to improve?

• A) Undergo a CEI consultation with targeted teaching demos or observation
• B) Ignore the warning and continue as usual
• C) Ask another PGTA to handle your duties

29. As a course coordinator or instructor, if a PGTA under your supervision has been warned for unsatisfactory performance but shows no improvement, what additional step can be taken?

• A) Recommend they be removed from the program
• B) Refer them for CEI consultation before assigning future duties
• C) Reassign their duties to other PGTAs permanently

30. A PGTA fails to complete their TA duties satisfactorily for the second time. What is the likely consequence?

• A) They will be expelled from the program
• B) Their Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) may be reduced or suspended
• C) They will not be allowed to reapply for TA duties