Comments on: Examining third-level marking methods http://rosemarymaccabe.com/2009/12/examining-third-level-marking-methods/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:06:00 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: rosemary http://rosemarymaccabe.com/2009/12/examining-third-level-marking-methods/comment-page-1/#comment-1116 rosemary Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:29:41 +0000 http://rosemarymaccabe.com/?p=2043#comment-1116 I understand the points made, but I don't understand why undergraduates would be expected to be at PhD standard to expect a mark above 80. Bernie, do you mark humanities papers or which do you mark? And are you given a template / guidelines (out of interest)? Psmith, while I respect your opinion, it is just that (to which you are entitled). But equally, I am entitled to mine and don't see how it warrants a "get over yourself". I'm continually surprised by how the Internet allows people to be so much ruder than they would be in real life. I understand the points made, but I don’t understand why undergraduates would be expected to be at PhD standard to expect a mark above 80. Bernie, do you mark humanities papers or which do you mark? And are you given a template / guidelines (out of interest)?

Psmith, while I respect your opinion, it is just that (to which you are entitled). But equally, I am entitled to mine and don’t see how it warrants a “get over yourself”. I’m continually surprised by how the Internet allows people to be so much ruder than they would be in real life.

]]> By: Psmith http://rosemarymaccabe.com/2009/12/examining-third-level-marking-methods/comment-page-1/#comment-1115 Psmith Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:14:31 +0000 http://rosemarymaccabe.com/?p=2043#comment-1115 Oh get over yourself. All marking systems are in the end arbitrary systems of measurement, and no particular mark is meaningful unless it's understood in context. The logic behind our system in Irish (and British) humanities departments is that we mark out of the possible range of acheivement, not just undergraduate achievement. So, 100% is perfection, which is impossible. A mark in the 90s would be awarded to the finest scholars of their generation (and I don't just mean undergraduates, I mean advanced and experienced scholars), and a mark in the 80s would indicate an achievement perhaps around the level of a good PhD. Therefore, a mark in the 70s is the highest an undergraduate, no matter how good, is likely to get. And for the record, those American students could have saved themselves the bother of demanding that the Irish system be changed. If their Irish marks count towards their degrees back in the US, they will be recalibrated to US-style marks, according to a formula their own university's international office uses. All universities do this to calculate international marks. So, there's nothing wrong with the way Irish universities mark. Oh get over yourself. All marking systems are in the end arbitrary systems of measurement, and no particular mark is meaningful unless it’s understood in context. The logic behind our system in Irish (and British) humanities departments is that we mark out of the possible range of acheivement, not just undergraduate achievement. So, 100% is perfection, which is impossible. A mark in the 90s would be awarded to the finest scholars of their generation (and I don’t just mean undergraduates, I mean advanced and experienced scholars), and a mark in the 80s would indicate an achievement perhaps around the level of a good PhD. Therefore, a mark in the 70s is the highest an undergraduate, no matter how good, is likely to get.

And for the record, those American students could have saved themselves the bother of demanding that the Irish system be changed. If their Irish marks count towards their degrees back in the US, they will be recalibrated to US-style marks, according to a formula their own university’s international office uses. All universities do this to calculate international marks.

So, there’s nothing wrong with the way Irish universities mark.

]]> By: Bernie Goldbach http://rosemarymaccabe.com/2009/12/examining-third-level-marking-methods/comment-page-1/#comment-1114 Bernie Goldbach Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:36:52 +0000 http://rosemarymaccabe.com/?p=2043#comment-1114 I'm an extern appointed by HETAC. i award marks in the 90s for model answers and my colleagues have not accussed meof grade inflation. There is latitude for curving Irish third level marks and standards upwards. I’m an extern appointed by HETAC. i award marks in the 90s for model answers and my colleagues have not accussed meof grade inflation. There is latitude for curving Irish third level marks and standards upwards.

]]> By: Gav http://rosemarymaccabe.com/2009/12/examining-third-level-marking-methods/comment-page-1/#comment-1111 Gav Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:23:22 +0000 http://rosemarymaccabe.com/?p=2043#comment-1111 I've lost count of the number of times that friends in arts and humanities subjects have been told that their essays were the best a certain lecture had ever seen, amazing depth of research, etc etc... and been given the best mark that lecturer could possibly give: 69%. I think the fact that 'per cent' contains the word 'cent' is the clincher. I’ve lost count of the number of times that friends in arts and humanities subjects have been told that their essays were the best a certain lecture had ever seen, amazing depth of research, etc etc… and been given the best mark that lecturer could possibly give: 69%.

I think the fact that ‘per cent’ contains the word ‘cent’ is the clincher.

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