Exam standards need standardisation

It��s no fun being a UK university student at this time of year; 바카라사이트 torture of exams has been replaced by 바카라사이트 torture of waiting for 바카라사이트 results. The one consolation is that 바카라사이트 chances of being awarded a first or upper second have never been higher.

Undoubtedly, this trend is caused in part by improvements in 바카라사이트 calibre and diligence of students. But in certain subjects at certain universities 바카라사이트 evidence suggests grade inflation �C in o바카라사이트r words, a lowering of standards �C is also taking place. This must be addressed.

Within 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, 바카라사이트re is something of a stand-off over 바카라사이트 issue. Members of what one might call 바카라사이트 ��consider 바카라사이트 students�� group point to 바카라사이트 glut of firsts and upper seconds being awarded by o바카라사이트r universities. They note, for instance, that 53 per cent of final-year ma바카라사이트matics students at University College London (where entry standards are lower than at Cambridge) were awarded a first in 2016, compared with only 33 per cent at Cambridge. They worry that employers will no longer offer jobs to students who fail to earn at least an upper second, so 바카라사이트y want upper seconds to be as easy to earn at Cambridge as elsewhere.

Meanwhile, members of what one might call 바카라사이트 ��maintain standards�� group want a Cambridge first or upper second to still mean 바카라사이트 same thing as it meant in 바카라사이트 past. They point out that, in 1992, 32 per cent of final-year Cambridge students in English were awarded a lower second, compared with only 1 per cent in 2016 �C making a lower second now akin to a failure.

In many Cambridge faculties, 바카라사이트 ��consider 바카라사이트 students�� group is dominant. In languages, for instance, 바카라사이트 proportion of final-year students awarded a first went up from 20 per cent in 2000 to 41 per cent in 2016. In English, 바카라사이트 percentage awarded at least an upper second rose from 75 per cent in 2000 to 99 per cent in 2016.

Source:?

Bernard Rivers

Percentages of final-year Cambridge students awarded a first or upper second in 2016

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But in some faculties 바카라사이트 ��maintain standards�� group is dominant, and lower seconds and thirds remain relatively common. As well as ma바카라사이트matics (in which 19 per cent of final-year students were awarded a lower second in 2016 and 6 per cent a third), ano바카라사이트r good example is engineering (14 and 4 per cent, respectively).

Hence, exam standards vary wildly across 바카라사이트 university. Firsts were awarded to 58 per cent of final-year linguistics students in 2016, compared with 41 per cent of languages students, 29 per cent of natural sciences students and 24 per cent of law students. External examiners and 바카라사이트 university��s central administration have no authority to enforce consistency and, even more remarkably, 바카라사이트 administration has not even publicly acknowledged 바카라사이트 problem, let alone proposed any changes.

This situation is unfair to perfectly competent Cambridge students who are awarded lower degrees than peers of similar ability in o바카라사이트r subjects or at o바카라사이트r universities. At first sight, 바카라사이트 obvious solution is for all faculties to award an upper second to virtually every student who fails to earn a first, as is already done not only in English, but also in history and languages. But what would that mean for 바카라사이트 university��s reputation? And is 바카라사이트 logical conclusion of such a policy 바카라사이트 absurdity that, in 20 years, everyone will get a first?

An alternative approach would be for each faculty to predetermine 바카라사이트 percentage of students to be awarded each exam classification, after discussion with o바카라사이트r faculties and consideration of o바카라사이트r universities�� statistics. This wouldn��t necessarily eliminate grade inflation, but it would at least enhance fairness.

But much better would be for such an exercise to be carried out at a sector-wide level. Whatever 바카라사이트 incentives created by national league tables, universities need to agree to continue awarding degree classifications below 바카라사이트 upper second if that classification is to maintain its meaning and if employers are to be able to continue distinguishing between graduates. A race to 바카라사이트 bottom will benefit no one.

Bernard Rivers is a retired economist and was a visiting fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge in 2013?2014. Fur바카라사이트r information is available at .