J-O

J. Marking

The moderators should provide each marker with the marking scheme approved by the Examining Board. Letters to markers in previous years are commended; the following points must be made:

Marking Schemes: Moderators have seen and approved the marking schemes. It is the responsibility of the marker to use the approved marking scheme.  Markers (usually moderators) should apply the schemes consistently, however, it may become clear while marking that the allocation of marks should be changed. If such a change is made, then please make sure that you do so consistently, and that the moderators are informed that this has been done.

Mark Ranges in Prelims: In all Prelims papers, questions are to be marked out of 20 marks.  Setters should aim to make at least 6 marks accessible to candidates with some basic knowledge of the topic examined in that question and to make a further 4-6 marks  available for straightforward material.  However, the hardest part of the question should be sufficiently demanding to be only accessible to those candidates who meet the descriptors for a First.  Setters are reminded that candidates on the borderline for a Pass should typically obtain about 8 marks per question.  The median mark per question should be around 13.

Marking: The moderators will want to review at least some of the scripts during the classification process. They will not want to re-mark (since they cannot do so consistently across all candidates). They will want to be able to see quickly where marks have been gained. They will also want to be sure that all a candidate's work has been taken into consideration. Markers are therefore asked:

  • indicate on the mark sheets, using whole numbers, the available marks awarded for each part of a question.
  • Include the total mark awarded for each questions in the highlighted sections of the marksheet, enter the integral numerical mark for each question, taking care to distinguish between an attempt scoring zero marks (enter “0”) and a non-attempt (enter “-”).
  • not to write comments on the scripts, but, if necessary on the mark sheets provided, (markers may indicate briefly to the moderators where arguments are flawed).

Mark Sheets: Electronic mark sheets will be supplied. In entering into the electronic mark sheets the numerical mark for a question, care must be taken to distinguish between 0 marks for an attempt and a blank cell for a non-attempt. Assessors will be asked to return the marksheet electronically through the marking site on SharePoint.

Reports: The moderators must give a brief report on the overall performance of the candidates on each paper (or part-paper) to assist them in their deliberation on recalibration.

K. Checking the Marks

The moderators should ensure that their procedures allow for:

  • an independent arithmetic check of the correctness of the addition of the partial marks for each question;
  • an independent check of the marks entered into the marks database for each candidate;
  • an audit trail for these checks.

Graduate research students are employed to carry out such checks.  The standard document `Instructions for Graduate Checkers' is kept in the Academic Office, and gives details.

L. Recalibration of Marks

Examination marks will be reported to candidates in the form of University Standardised Marks. The object of the USM is to allow direct comparison between the results of examination in different subjects. Moderators may recalibrate raw marks to arrive at the USMs reported to candidates. On each paper, any recalibration of marks should be done without disturbing the order of candidates. In order to ensure fair treatment moderators are reminded that they may exercise individual consideration in assigning USMs for candidates whose marks lie outside the standard pattern. 

Moderators should take note of the distribution of USMs above 70 in the examination in a normal year and not depart from it without good reason.  Information about the distribution of USMs in the examination for recent matriculation years will be provided by the Teaching Committee.
 
The USMs reported to candidates for each paper should be symmetrically rounded.

M. Class Descriptors

Whilst the Preliminary Examination is not classified, the average USM ranges reflect the following general Qualitative Class Descriptors agreed by the Teaching Committee:

First Class: the candidate shows excellent skills in reasoning, deductive logic and problem-solving. They demonstrate an excellent knowledge of the material, and can use that in unfamiliar contexts.

Upper Second Class: the candidate shows good or very good skills in reasoning, deductive logic and problem-solving. They demonstrate a good or very good knowledge of much of the material.

Lower Second Class: the candidate shows adequate basic skills in reasoning, deductive logic and problem-solving. They demonstrate a sound knowledge of much of the material.

Third Class: the candidate shows reasonable understanding of at least part of the basic material and some skills in reasoning, deductive logic and problem-solving.

Fail: little evidence of competence in many of the topics examined; the work is likely to show major misunderstanding and confusion, coupled with inaccurate calculations; the answers to questions attempted are likely to be fragmentary only.

N. Mitigating Circumstances Notice to Examiners

The University's policy on the use of medical and other certificates is available at https://academic.admin.ox.ac.uk/examiners.

O. Post Examination

Moderators should ensure that the following are deposited with the Head of Academic Administration (or Undergraduate Studies Officer), Mathematical Institute:

  • a definitive record of individual USMs, signed off by one of the moderators (to be kept on file at the Institute for reference and for use in later examinations);
  • all records of the Examination not otherwise destroyed and declarations relating to the destruction of examination material (as requested by the Proctors);
  • full marking schemes, including any subsequent amendments;
  • LaTeX source files for the papers incorporating any corrections.