Would your essay be less 'unique' if it was at the bottom of the pile?
So I've always wondered this but I study AQA economics and business and my teachers have always gone on about making sure that when writing the big mark essays to add a 'wow' factor tohelp achieve the highest marks. However, given that examiners go through hundred of papers how would this work?
For example, if an examiner was marking their first paper and the essay they read gave them something unique, they would likely give the student a higher level/mark for that question. However, by the end of their stack of papers when they've read and marked hundred of papers reading similar answers, wouldn't the latter end of students be disadvantaged as the examiner is unlikely to be as 'wow-ed' compared to when they first started reading?
My teacher also said that if you asked for papers to be remarked, they're unlikely to review the answers where you achieved the highest level (but not full marks ie 21/25) which also links to the above problem as she also mentioned that adding a 'wow' sentence would've helped you move higher in a level (ie 24/25)
For example, if an examiner was marking their first paper and the essay they read gave them something unique, they would likely give the student a higher level/mark for that question. However, by the end of their stack of papers when they've read and marked hundred of papers reading similar answers, wouldn't the latter end of students be disadvantaged as the examiner is unlikely to be as 'wow-ed' compared to when they first started reading?
My teacher also said that if you asked for papers to be remarked, they're unlikely to review the answers where you achieved the highest level (but not full marks ie 21/25) which also links to the above problem as she also mentioned that adding a 'wow' sentence would've helped you move higher in a level (ie 24/25)
Sorry you've not had any responses about this. 
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Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. 
Are you sure you've posted in the right place? Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. Original post by TSR Jessica
Sorry you've not had any responses about this. Are you sure you've posted in the right place? Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there.
Are you sure you've posted in the right place? Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. I guess its not really something students can answer but mainly teachers and examiners, I'll have a look though!
It's never been a thing for me. When I feel my tolerance lapsing I take a break from the marking, precisely to avoid this sort of bias where I might not give enough due credit. It's not about being wowed, but about proportionality- I.e. how many people have made that nuanced point? How many people are likely to? You can gauge this with experience.
In the u iversity, I read about 5 things before I mark them against the rubric, again to settle myself and my expectations. It's not a precise science but I've never had anything changed in moderation, so it works well enough for me.
In the u iversity, I read about 5 things before I mark them against the rubric, again to settle myself and my expectations. It's not a precise science but I've never had anything changed in moderation, so it works well enough for me.
Original post by gjd800
It's never been a thing for me. When I feel my tolerance lapsing I take a break from the marking, precisely to avoid this sort of bias where I might not give enough due credit. It's not about being wowed, but about proportionality- I.e. how many people have made that nuanced point? How many people are likely to? You can gauge this with experience.
In the u iversity, I read about 5 things before I mark them against the rubric, again to settle myself and my expectations. It's not a precise science but I've never had anything changed in moderation, so it works well enough for me.
In the u iversity, I read about 5 things before I mark them against the rubric, again to settle myself and my expectations. It's not a precise science but I've never had anything changed in moderation, so it works well enough for me.
Thanks for your reply!
I understand that you said it can come with experience but if you were to see a point made that seemed quite unique on the first paper you marked and gave the credit for it but realised quite a few students made similar points, would you say you would credit them with a similar mark to the first time you saw it or go back to that paper and change the mark?
My teacher has changed my essay marks a few times, not usually change the level but the marks within the level and I'm assuming its after another teacher has read it (ie a level 5 essay is 21-25 marks and initially I was awarded 24 but it was crossed out and changed to 21, I asked my teacher about this and she said it didn't matter as I stayed within the top level anyways but I'm a high achiever so I was always confused about it). It made me wonder if I had written something a bit more unique to my classroom teacher but it may not have been that extra credit worthy to the other economics teacher (who I assume has more years of experience) in which I assume other people in his class has written similarly to me and so it wasn't credited a high level 5 and hence changed to a low level 5.
But given your comment, I feel a bit more assured as I'm aware that examiners are usually trained and more experienced in this!
Original post by Carrotsroom
Thanks for your reply!
I understand that you said it can come with experience but if you were to see a point made that seemed quite unique on the first paper you marked and gave the credit for it but realised quite a few students made similar points, would you say you would credit them with a similar mark to the first time you saw it or go back to that paper and change the mark?
My teacher has changed my essay marks a few times, not usually change the level but the marks within the level and I'm assuming its after another teacher has read it (ie a level 5 essay is 21-25 marks and initially I was awarded 24 but it was crossed out and changed to 21, I asked my teacher about this and she said it didn't matter as I stayed within the top level anyways but I'm a high achiever so I was always confused about it). It made me wonder if I had written something a bit more unique to my classroom teacher but it may not have been that extra credit worthy to the other economics teacher (who I assume has more years of experience) in which I assume other people in his class has written similarly to me and so it wasn't credited a high level 5 and hence changed to a low level 5.
But given your comment, I feel a bit more assured as I'm aware that examiners are usually trained and more experienced in this!
I understand that you said it can come with experience but if you were to see a point made that seemed quite unique on the first paper you marked and gave the credit for it but realised quite a few students made similar points, would you say you would credit them with a similar mark to the first time you saw it or go back to that paper and change the mark?
My teacher has changed my essay marks a few times, not usually change the level but the marks within the level and I'm assuming its after another teacher has read it (ie a level 5 essay is 21-25 marks and initially I was awarded 24 but it was crossed out and changed to 21, I asked my teacher about this and she said it didn't matter as I stayed within the top level anyways but I'm a high achiever so I was always confused about it). It made me wonder if I had written something a bit more unique to my classroom teacher but it may not have been that extra credit worthy to the other economics teacher (who I assume has more years of experience) in which I assume other people in his class has written similarly to me and so it wasn't credited a high level 5 and hence changed to a low level 5.
But given your comment, I feel a bit more assured as I'm aware that examiners are usually trained and more experienced in this!
I doubt I'd change it much if at all, but when I assessed GCSE stuff in schools etc, I'd read the whole classes stuff once, put a provisional mark, then after I'd read the lot, skim back and give a more concrete one. This process isn;t so much to mark yous against each other, but more for me to feel like I'd got to grips with the 'big' answers students had written so that I could best reward each one. Ultimately, the answers aren't so much about getting in loads of extraneous stuff that nobody else has, it's about the construction of arguments and evidence of developed understanding. 20 students could mention the same thing, but only 2 develo it past superficiality, for example.
Original post by gjd800
It's never been a thing for me. When I feel my tolerance lapsing I take a break from the marking, precisely to avoid this sort of bias where I might not give enough due credit. It's not about being wowed, but about proportionality- I.e. how many people have made that nuanced point? How many people are likely to? You can gauge this with experience.
In the u iversity, I read about 5 things before I mark them against the rubric, again to settle myself and my expectations. It's not a precise science but I've never had anything changed in moderation, so it works well enough for me.
In the u iversity, I read about 5 things before I mark them against the rubric, again to settle myself and my expectations. It's not a precise science but I've never had anything changed in moderation, so it works well enough for me.
Original post by lyslil
Hello, is it OK if you just looked over a 25 marker that I did for my mock- i would really appreciate some feedback?
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