Academic Standards and Quality

The use of internal and external staff for marking

Examination marking by GTAslecturer and student

It is generally desirable that examinations should be marked by permanent teaching staff. Where it is necessary for graduate students to undertake this role, the following policy applies:

  •  A graduate student should be employed to mark examinations only when the individual has taught the whole or a significant part of the module.
  •  Permission to employ a graduate student for marking must be sought in advance from the relevant Dean, on the basis of a case made by the Head of Department or partner institution, indicating the monitoring arrangements proposed. There is an application form which must be completed and submitted to the relevant Dean.

Coursework marking by GTAs

It is generally desirable that coursework should be marked by permanent teaching staff. Where it is necessary for graduate students to undertake this role, the following policy applies:

  • A graduate student should be employed to mark coursework only when the individual has taught/demonstrated a relevant part of the module in the current or previous academic year(s) or the relevant Dean has accepted a case made by the Head of Department on the competency of the graduate student.

The role of the external examiner

Unless the External has been specifically sent work to arbitrate on a dispute between internal markers, the External’s role will be as a moderator. Externals should not act as second markers. In moderating student work the Module External is providing an independent overview of the consistency of approaches to assessment. As such, the Module External’s primary concern is with the overall marking standard in the module rather than with marks obtained by individual students. The External should not alter the marks of any individual student.

Marking the work of students who are partners or close relatives

Staff should not mark the work of partners or close relatives unless approval is given by the Head of Department. In the case of a query, the Head should determine whether there is a conflict of interest.

Moderating/second marking/blind double marking the work by staff who are partners or close Relatives

Staff should not act as moderator or second marker where their partner or close relative is the first marker unless approval is given by the Head of Department. In the case of a query, the Head should determine whether there is a conflict of interest.

Exemptions to the University’s marking policy

If a department believes it is not possible to comply with an aspect of the University’s marking policy, the department must apply for an exemption to this aspect and propose an acceptable alternative arrangement for approval by the Faculty Executive Dean and PVC (Education). 

 

 

 

 

Page last updated: 22 July 2013