Processing Exams
Exams Process
- Create list of exams, including any special ones for resit students
- (see exam preparation check-list mentioned below)
- Tell exams office about preferences for dates of exams etc.
- Exam setting
- Persuade staff to set, moderate and check exam
papers
- exam cover sheet to be signed by setter and moderator
(Make sure that all questions on each exam are marked out of 20)
(check exam rubrics etc.)
Send exam papers to externals
Get externals' replies and persuade staff to deal with them
- exam cover sheet to be signed by setter and moderator (again)
Send completed exams to exams office
e.g. exam paper preparation signature sheet and check-list - Set up exams DB
- student names + course-units from dept. DB or
MACOracle
list of courses + components + out-ofs + weights etc. (be very careful about non-CS course-units) - find checkers, book checking/meeting rooms, book externals etc.
- put up notices for students - results availability, cheating etc.
- For each exam:
-
Receive answer books etc.
- sort by registration number, note number of books per student on covers
- warn year tutors of absences
- attendances to DB
- answer books (split into sections?) + mark list + marking scheme to marker(s)
Get marked answer books + mark lists from markers
Check marked answer books + mark lists
Get staff to deal with queries
Exam Marks to DB (and check this too!)
e.g. exam scripts check-list, ordered by date and by course code.
new for 2001: mark moderation
e.g. exam mark moderation signature sheet and check-list - Continuous assessment (project, Lab) marks to exams DB
- 1st and 2nd year labs electronically from arcade
DB
3rd year projects
CS2242 labs
CS1072 reports
etc.
(and check them) - Liase with other depts. - marks in, marks out, examiners to meetings
- e.g. CS3552
- Sanity checks
- Has each student done the right number of
course-units?
Do exam attendances match continuous assessment work?
etc. - Create and duplicate results paper-work
- tableaux for
UG Special Circumstances cttee. and examiners' meetings
(need list of when exams held, to correlate with student sickness etc.)
action lists needed - add annotations to exams DB
marks lists for students from other depts.
results for dept. notice-board
results for University
letters to failing students who may have resits. (not in February)
ensure marks lists and results etc. signed
e.g. Pass Permission Letter for Notice-Board and Final Result List - store exam questions, answers etc.
How to check an exam
Check each script
Scripts should be in the same order as the mark list.- Make sure that the registration numbers on the script & the mark list match - watch out for people with similar numbers. If the registration number is missing from the cover of the script, open the sealed flap, look up the registration number for that student via the dept. office and write it on the script.
-
for EACH page:
- make sure that there is a tick or a mark somewhere on the page.
- If a new answer starts in the middle of a page, make sure that BOTH of the answers on that page have a mark somewhere.
-
for EACH question:
- make sure that any individual marks for the parts of the question add up to the total given at the end of the question & on the front of the book - pay special attention to answers split over 2 books, or separated by other answers. Tick correct totals on the front of the book or put a "?" by errors and make a note of what the problem is.
- Make sure that the final mark for each question has been correctly transferred to the mark list - if you had to look the registration number up, transfer the mark yourself and get someone else to check it. Tick correct final marks on the list or put a "?" by errors and make a note of what the problem is.
Check each (set of) mark list(s)
- make sure that the totals for each student have been added up correctly. If a student answers too many questions (in total or in any section) ensure that the examiners have clearly indicated on the mark list which one(s) are being ignored in the final total: exams usually have 3 questions. Tick correct totals on the list or put a "?" by errors and make a note of what the problem is.
If there are any errors on the scripts or the mark list
Find the person who marked that exam (or that part of the exam) and ask them to resolve the problems. If you are in any doubt as to whether the marker has been reasonable, ask for help!Once all problems have been resolved
The scripts should be filed away and the marks list should be sent for input.[Whoever inputs attendances and marks into the database must check that they match i.e. that every student who attended has a mark, and no student who was absent has a mark.]
When the marks have been input
Check that they are correct:- For each student, make sure that the mark entered matches the (previously checked) total on the original mark list. Tick correct marks or put a "?" by errors and make a note of what the problem is.
- Make sure that the "out of" and "component weight" are correct. Tick correct numbers or put a "?" by errors and make a note of what the problem is.
You must check that:
- the correct set of marks has been input - e.g. the correct column - sometimes there will be a list of percentages as well as marks out of 60.
- the mark for every student on the marks list has been input - if they are not on the database then you must add them!
- every component has been input - e.g. if there are both exam marks and essay marks, either both sets of marks must be input, or else a set of combined marks.