Marking & Moderation UG
This page is intended to help new staff to understand what the policies are for marking within ECLS. It will also serve as an aide memoire to those of us who have been around for a long time but have not managed to remember all the changes along the way. Module convenors are reminded that the responsibility for applying lateness penalties and conducting plagiarism checks lies with them.
BA marking
The department (like the rest of the University) uses the 20-point scale for marking undergraduate work. We have additional marking descriptors - see link on the right hand side.
First year work is not moderated or double-marked. However, particularly in the case of examinations it is essential that convenors ensure that inexperienced markers are trained and supervised so as to ensure consistency across large cohorts.
All honours essays are first marked, usually by the seminar tutor and then moderated.
UG honours work is processed via the Moderated Marking Workflow(see HERE- sequence 3) so not all work has to be passed to a moderator and the marker can select which pieces of work to send to be moderated.
Sample moderation ('cross-moderation')
Most of the time in the department we use what the University calls 'Cross-moderation': following first marking, samples of scripts are exchanged between markers for second marking. A sample should contain a random selection of all grades present. Sample size should usually be at least 25% of total or a minimum of 20 papers, whichever is the lower. Our department decided some time ago that in cohorts smaller than 20, 5 scripts is the minimum sample size. The University considers this type of moderation suitable where marking is performed by a team and the process may require categorical reconsideration and adjustment of marks. It may also trigger categorical re-marking.
New markers
However, in the case of inexperienced markers (or those new to Warwick), the department has adopted the University's recommendation, which is 'Double marking (informed)': 1st marker marks and comments/2nd marker marks whole cohort with sight of first marker's mark and comments. Mark is either confirmed or amended after discussion between markers. Please note that the second marker should agree the mark or discuss the difference with the first marker but should not write comments for the student. Teaching quality has informed us that these extra comments would cause an inequitable situation for students whose work was not being marked in this way, and therefore such comments must not be given to students. For experienced markers new to Warwick, this process will operate the first time they mark and, as long as the second marker can confirm consistency, there will be no further need to double mark their assessments. Second markers will let GTAs and postdoctoral tutors know when they feel there is no longer a need for double marking of their assessments, and should inform the Deputy Head of Department immediately.
N/B - Undergraduate Dissertations are double marked (informed) with the supervisor acting as second marker. The supervisor should not let the first marker have their comments before the first marker has finished marking. The first marker should write substantive comments. The comments of the second marker will usually be relatively brief. Markers should agree marks before entering in Tabula.
All honours exams are sample moderated (see above for details on sample size).The convenor of the module is responsible for allocating the scripts according to the stipulations in the moderation document, but also bearing in mind that consistency is best ensured when scripts are circulated around the team rather than simply swapped between two members of such a team.
You can see the University's guidance page for further details on how University policy on marking operates.
Formative Assignments -these were submitted through Tabula in 20/21 but are now given directly to tutors and do not go through Tabula. The following information is retained should this change in future:
- Formative assignments will not be submitted via Turnitin – this is because the submission is then held on the Turnitin system so they may subsequently flag any further submission for plagiarism.
- The Admin Team will just ensure that the formative assignments are released for marking and will then not review any further.
- Publishing feedback - feedback can just be published by individual tutors. It is advisable to publish feedback to each seminar group at the same time if possible, to avoid students querying any discrepancies. Obviously, some students may have submitted their work later than the deadline, so if theirs is submitted after the deadline, they must understand that theirs may be published later than the other students. Ideally, you should keep your students informed of when they should expect their feedback to manage their expectations. There is no 20-day turnaround target, but just be mindful to ensure students receive their feedback in a timely fashion if a further assignment is due and the feedback will be required by the student before any further submissions are required.
BA links
University's Mark Scale for UG Modules
UG Handbook- see for Departmental policies and guidance to students on writing essays and word length