asg section f - examinations and other forms of assessment

8.11 In February 2011 the University Senate approved generic grade descriptors for
undergraduate programmes (Appendix F2). The principles embodied within the
University Grade Descriptors should be a feature of assignment-specific marking schemes.
These include:
• clarity as to what constitutes work that represents the whole range of available
marks (0% -100%),
• the objectivity of the marking schemes, their alignment with the University Grade
Descriptors, their match to the learning outcomes that are being assessed, and
their relevance to the form of assessment selected.
Students should be made aware of University Grade Descriptors and how these relate to
marking schemes for their assignments. It will be essential that, however the University
Grade Descriptors are developed into marking schemes, staff are able to explain these
marking schemes to students in discussions early in the students’ academic careers.
The design of challenging assignments (beyond essays and exams that test knowledge
recall) must happen alongside the use of the University Grade Descriptors and clearly
aligned discipline-specific marking schemes since if there is no opportunity within the
assignment for a student to demonstrate their higher level ability then this too will limit
their ability to access marks at the higher end of the range.
8.12 The marking of a written examination script must not be left entirely to one person. For
examination answers in the form of calculations or short notes on a number of separate
topics it is sufficient for a second person to check that all parts have been marked and that
the marks have been totalled correctly.
8.13 It is a requirement that, for essay-type answers, a sample of between 10% and 25% of
scripts (depending on numbers), as a minimum, should be second-marked by another
internal marker (although it is desirable that all such answers are double-marked where
practicable). The sample should be representative of the range of marks and include all
borderline fails.
8.14 All projects/dissertations must be double marked “blind” by internal examiners (i.e., that
the marks of the first marker are not made known to the second marker in advance).
Marking “blind” should not be confused with anonymous marking (ref. 8.6 above).
8.15 Faculties /Departments should put in place a reliable system for ensuring consistency of
marking across the Faculty/Department. Criteria for marking must be stated clearly for the
benefit of students, internal and external markers. This is particularly important where
individual projects, dissertations or theses are concerned since the topics may be diverse.
If, for any given assignment or examination, a number of marks are to be awarded
specifically for spelling and grammar, the Faculty must make this known to all students in
advance of the assessment.
8.16 Faculties /Departments must make efforts to ensure uniformity of marking across the
range of topics. Faculties /Departments should also put in place a mechanism for the
reconciliation of marks in cases where internal examiners have recorded very different
marks for the same work, before projects/dissertations are referred to the external
examiner(s) for moderation.
Illegible Scripts
8.17 Occasionally an examiner may be presented with a script which is illegible. In such
instances the following guidance should be used:
8.17.1 the responsibility for determining that a script is illegible resides with the Board
of Examiners or through consultation with the Chair of the Board and the
external examiner(s), never an individual examiner;
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