Essay based subjects. Examiner marking differences.

granata1975

7

As a mature student who has returned to academic pursuits, i was wondering.
What realistically is the possible difference in marks different examiners may give for the same essay?
I understand there is a marking scheme and plenty of guidance as to what marks should be awarded for answers.
However in for example my study subjects of History and Classical Civilisation surely there is always going to be small differences caused by personal opinion and preference?
In say a History essay worth 30 marks what would be a possible mark range for the same answer marked by two different examiners?
Genuinely interested.

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 1

iizzyxx

7

Original post

by granata1975

As a mature student who has returned to academic pursuits, i was wondering.
What realistically is the possible difference in marks different examiners may give for the same essay?
I understand there is a marking scheme and plenty of guidance as to what marks should be awarded for answers.
However in for example my study subjects of History and Classical Civilisation surely there is always going to be small differences caused by personal opinion and preference?
In say a History essay worth 30 marks what would be a possible mark range for the same answer marked by two different examiners?
Genuinely interested.

I took three essay subjects and for all extended answers in each subject examiners used a system of 'bands'. Each band would have specifications of what needed to be included for your answer to make it in - for example band four might say 'answer is strongly supported by evidence' whilst a lower band might say 'answer is somewhat supported by evidence' (i don't remember the exact wording).

I think its very unlikely different examiners would put an answer in different bands with all the guidance and training they have, like you said. There's only three or four points in each band, and I think examiners are generally aware of what would be, say, a high band four and a low band four, so I don't think marks would differ dramatically depending on who's grading.

Reply 2

granata1975

OP

7

I also read that papers are not remarked as such any longer.
An examiner just checks whether the original mark is `fair` and its perfectly possible that the examiner may have given an extra mark or two themselves but it was not marked unfairly.
Do not know if this applies to all subjects or exam boards.
I still see my old History teacher who is now in his 80`s, who says there could be wide variations in the 1980s/1990s.
Interestingly, he attended a seminar and asked the chief examiner whether for example a candidate answering a question on causes of the first world war using an entirely communist viewpoint could get an A.
He was assured that this indeed was possible.

Reply 3

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

20

Original post

by granata1975

As a mature student who has returned to academic pursuits, i was wondering.
What realistically is the possible difference in marks different examiners may give for the same essay?
I understand there is a marking scheme and plenty of guidance as to what marks should be awarded for answers.
However in for example my study subjects of History and Classical Civilisation surely there is always going to be small differences caused by personal opinion and preference?
In say a History essay worth 30 marks what would be a possible mark range for the same answer marked by two different examiners?
Genuinely interested.

This is more or less drilled out of the A level process, where grading is all about students having full visibility of marking schemes, writing to a pattern, and the grades being marked to a pattern. Subjectivity is pretty much squashed out.

It's very different at Uni, where the marking schemes are much looser, and you can get wide differences in marking, which is why exams and dissertations are often double marked and wide discrepancies discussed and agreed between the two examiners.

In the real world of course, there is none of this. One boss loves you, another boss hates you with a passion, while you are exactly the same person. So worrying about the fairness of marking schemes is a fruitless pursuit, if you are wandering down that path.

Reply 4

granata1975

OP

7

Original post

by threeportdrift

This is more or less drilled out of the A level process, where grading is all about students having full visibility of marking schemes, writing to a pattern, and the grades being marked to a pattern. Subjectivity is pretty much squashed out.
It's very different at Uni, where the marking schemes are much looser, and you can get wide differences in marking, which is why exams and dissertations are often double marked and wide discrepancies discussed and agreed between the two examiners.
In the real world of course, there is none of this. One boss loves you, another boss hates you with a passion, while you are exactly the same person. So worrying about the fairness of marking schemes is a fruitless pursuit, if you are wandering down that path.

Thanks for the reply.
I am not wandering down that path! I was just genuinely interested, reading the other reply it seems the answer to my question is that in say a History essay worth 30 there is very unlikely to be a difference of more than 1 or 2.
Its particular pertinent to myself as i am entirely teaching myself and learning from books, i did History A level in my 6th form years but have never had a Classical Civilisation lesson.
On another point due to this and the fact that i am 30 years older than a normal A level student i would have thought it would be fairly obvious to an examiner that i was not classroom taught and had my own style.
So far this has not been an issue, have posted an `A` and a `B` in previous attempts, and curiously enough have estimated my mark to within a few% each time. (last summer i actually predicted exactly what i got 89/135!).

Essay based subjects. Examiner marking differences.

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