asg section f - examinations and other forms of assessment

Appendix F3: University Policy and Guidelines for the Anonymous
Marking of Examination Scripts
1.1 A policy of anonymous marking for all written examinations was introduced in 1996-
97 (SEN 6/95: Minute 73 refers). Faculties may decide whether the principle should be
extended to any other forms of assessment.
1.2 Each candidate will be expected to identify his or her script by means of the University
Registration Number (URN); this is printed on the library card. It has been agreed that it
is desirable to allocate individual seat numbers to candidates but the Academic Registry
cannot do this and produce place cards at present. Those Faculties which decide to
produce their own place cards should include the candidate's number in addition to
the name. Owing to the possibility of a candidate writing a wrong or illegible number
on a script, answer books are used which enable the candidate to write his or her
name on the script and then seal down the corner to conceal it; if necessary this corner
can be slit open to reveal the candidate's name. Supplies of answer books with 16
ruled pages (as at present) and small answer books with 8 ruled pages are available. A
candidate should write his or her number on any supplementary material, such as
graph paper, and attach it to the answer book. For a multiple choice examination there
should be a space for both the candidate's number and name; the fact that the name
cannot be concealed is of no importance since each answer is either right or wrong
and marking is an automatic process.
1.3 Attendance lists should be prepared by Faculties with the candidates' names in
alphabetical order but also showing each candidate's number; such lists can be
produced from the MIS database. Reference can be made to such a list if a candidate
does not know his or her number. For examinations at level HE2 and above, one copy
of the list, marked to show the candidates present, must be returned to the University
Examinations Office and another retained by the Faculty. Such a list must not be
included in the bundle of scripts for marking.
1.4 Scripts must remain identified only by number at least until they have been fully
marked internally.
1.5 The method of preparation of mark sheets will depend on whether this is done
manually or by using a computer. If a computer is used then the candidates should be
arranged in numerical order to facilitate entering marks. The computer can, of course,
be programmed to print mark sheets in any desired format for an examiners' meeting.
For a meeting at which classes of degrees are to be determined, it may be of
advantage if the lists of candidates are arranged in rank order according to the total
mark. In all cases the agreed mark sheet submitted to the University Examinations
Office after the examiners' meeting must list the candidates in alphabetical order.
1.6 Great care must be taken to avoid entering a mark against the wrong candidate,
whatever system is used to identify scripts.
1.7 Each Faculty may decide whether candidates should be identified by name throughout
the examiners' meeting(s). When classes of degrees are being determined the best
practice is to decide them initially, with the candidates identified only by number. It is,
however, necessary to identify candidates by name to make any allowances for illness
or other special circumstances.
1.8 Each candidate is entitled to be told his or her marks for each examination or other
form of assessment but a candidate may not be told other individual candidates'
marks. A Faculty may find it convenient to provide this information by displaying a list
of marks with the candidates identified solely by number.
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