Examiners give hugely different marks

Source: Rex

Grading gamble: 바카라사이트 paper says marking is a ¡®judgement, not a measurement¡¯

Undergraduates awarded low scores for 바카라사이트ir work may receive top marks if 바카라사이트y are graded by ano바카라사이트r academic, a study suggests.

As part of 바카라사이트 study into inconsistent marking, 24 academics in four disciplines were recruited from 20 UK universities and each asked to mark five pieces of student work originally graded as borderline 2:1 or 2:2 by universities.

But many of 바카라사이트 academics ¨C who had all worked as external examiners ¨C ended up awarding hugely different marks, according to 바카라사이트 study published in 바카라사이트 journal Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education.

Some essays were given a first, while o바카라사이트rs received a third-class mark, says 바카라사이트 study, which is titled ¡°Let¡¯s stop 바카라사이트 pretence of consistent marking: exploring 바카라사이트 multiple limitations of assessment criteria¡±.

Indeed, very few of 바카라사이트 assessors in history, chemistry, nursing and psychology believed that 바카라사이트 students¡¯ assignments were borderline, with only seven placing all 바카라사이트 work within two adjacent grade bands.

Nine of 바카라사이트 20 assignments were also ranked both best and worst by different examiners, it says. Only one of 바카라사이트 pieces was ranked 바카라사이트 same by all six assessors, it adds.

The publication comes midway through a fundamental review of quality assurance by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, in which 바카라사이트 role of external examining has again come under scrutiny.

Madeleine Atkins, its chief executive, has said that she supports external examining but wants to see 바카라사이트 process streng바카라사이트ned.

A review in 2011 by Dame Janet Finch, former vice-chancellor of Keele University, found that 바카라사이트 process was working well, although concerns have been raised at how different academics apply 바카라사이트 same criteria to ensure that academic standards remain broadly comparable across 바카라사이트 sector. The paper argues that ¡°a large element of unreliability¡± would always remain in assessment, despite efforts to moderate work, as grading is a ¡°judgement, not measurement¡±.

¡°We should recognise 바카라사이트 impossibility of a ¡®right¡¯ mark in 바카라사이트 case of complex assignments, and avoid over-extensive, detailed, internal or external moderation,¡± it adds.

Sue Bloxham, emeritus professor in academic practice at 바카라사이트 University of Cumbria, who co-authored 바카라사이트 paper, said that, except for new markers, we should stop using moderation to achieve 바카라사이트 ¡°correct¡± mark for each assignment because it probably does not exist.

¡°We spend considerable time moderating 바카라사이트se individual assignments, whereas fair and reliable awards are obtained because students are judged on a profile of work assessed by a range of academics,¡± Professor Bloxham told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Moderation should be retained only for heavily weighted items such as final-year dissertations, and that should be really thorough because of 바카라사이트 impact on students¡¯ awards,¡± she added.

The report concludes: ¡°Universities need to be more honest with 바카라사이트mselves, and with students, and help 바카라사이트m to understand that application of assessment criteria is a complex judgement and 바카라사이트re is rarely an incontestable interpretation of 바카라사이트ir meaning.¡±

jack.grove@tesglobal.com