Hi there, glad to be of help. Sure thing, I'll do my best. So you're right for a start in that modules have different assessment requirements as will the differences between the more human and physical sides, but there are some commonality between them.
- There's the standard academic essay where you'll be asked to answer, discuss, analyse or argue a statement or question. So that'll involve reading around the topic, breaking up the question and providing a succinct answer.
- There can be shorter pieces of writing more in the style of an academic blog so less a focus on traditional essay structure and more about getting the point across in an easy to read sense (the website, The Conversation provides good examples of this).
- Reflective journals are sometimes asked of you where at the end of a module you might be required to write a more reflective piece of work on what you have achieved in the study and what changes you have seen. If any assumptions were challenged or how difficult you found it for instance.
- Very brief summaries of readings might be necessary for seminars so it fosters discussion.
- Some modules I believe do policy statements of a kind so either critiquing an existing one (say from a company) or suggesting improvements to it.
- More physical sciences may need laboratory reports based on experiments you undertake in the lab itself which follow strict criteria in formatting and also in style. Getting the information across rather than unnecessary waffle is often a key skill tested here.
- Field trips might ask for a write up after you're back at Lancaster so these might be a mix of essay style questions or if you carried out experiments in the field to write those up, all with reference to the field trip.
- There'll be elements of group work at times either in collecting data and analysing it as a group to then go on to individual reports. Or it could be a creation of a poster.
- You might have presentations to give, either to the class or your lecturer on a certain topic or essay plan.
- Depending on the module, there can be worksheets to be completed weekly and submitted (maths and physics does this I believe)
- I believe in the second year there's a module where you have to write and submit a CV and cover letter for an appropriate job which then gets graded.
- Exams are also common of course (sorry!) which are standard academic format though there are cases of in class tests or computer based practicals where you may be following a worksheet in a given time (GIS sometimes uses these).
I know you said a few but I think that's most of them! I hope that helps in a sense anyway. Anymore questions, just ask and I'll do my best