Best Practices in marking examination papers 20/4/2010 Mohamed Zaki, Academic Director

Contents Objective Marking Midterm Examples Marking Final Paper

Objective To have fair, consistent marking across all students To give the students a useful feedback so that they can improve their weaknesses (midterm only) Avoid mistakes and errors To produce quality marking Part of the performance evaluation

Midterm Low awarded marks(about or less than 60%) should have feedback The marker should not write over the students’ handwritten answer. The marker should write a brief explanation on each question relating to why the student had failed to reach the maximum mark. The marker should put a note or sign for every part of the student’s answer to indicate that part has been “noted”. The marker should mark one question at a time for all students and then the next and so on until finishes all scripts.

Examples (1) Low awarded marks(about or less than 60%) should have feedback This helps the students to improve and concentrate on the weak area

Examples (1) All low awarded marks(about or less than 60%) should have feedback This helps the students to improve and concentrate on the weak area

Examples (2) The marker should not write on the students’ handwriting answer. This is required for the second marker to see the answer clearly

Examples The marker should not write on the students’ handwriting answer.

Examples The marker should not write on the students’ handwriting answer. You can write on the space without hiding the answer

Examples (3)The marker should write a brief explanation on each question relating to why the student had failed to reach maximum marks. This helps the students to improve , concentrate and know exactly why they did not get the full mark

Examples The marker should write a brief explanation on each question relating to why the student had failed to reach maximum marks. Lacks Clarity This helps the students to improve , concentrate and know exactly why they did not get the full mark Irrelevant Incomplete

Examples The marker should write a brief explanation on each question relating to why the student had failed to reach maximum marks. Irrelevant details Lacks relevancy

Examples The marker should write a brief explanation on each question relating to why the student had failed to reach maximum marks. There is no explanation why the student did not get the full mark

Examples

Examples

Final Exam The marker should not write on the students’ handwriting answer. The marker should write a brief explanation on each question relating to why the student had failed to reach maximum marks. The marker should put a note or sign on every part of the student’s answer to indicate that part has been “noted”. To be consistent and fair, the marker should mark one question at a time for all students and then the next and so on until finishes all scripts. The marker should contact the PM and the other counterpart in case he/she finds the model answer does not clearly handle some situations

Final Exam Marking sheet Second Marking : some samples to check the work of the first marker Instructions are now part of the marking sheet( to be reminded )!

Examples This helps the second marker and external examiner to check the marking

Examples Remarking will not be easy if the student appealed

Examples You can not tell whether this part has been “noted” or not

Examples Putting note to be sure that you will not miss any answer

Examples The marker should put a note or sign on every part of the student’s answer to indicate that part has been “noted”. Otherwise the second marker or auditor will bring it back to you and ask you.

Questions