Marking and grading
Marking is the process of evaluating a piece of work performed or submitted for summative assessment.
Grading is the awarding of a specific grade to this work, as a numerical or letter grade. Grading allows student progress to be tracked and compared against their previous work, and within the cohort.
The marking and grading process involves one or more markers reviewing the quality of the submission or performance through consideration of how well the work demonstrates specific skills, behaviours, knowledge or attributes. Marking and grading also considers the submission or performance in light of its compliance with the requirements of the task, such as:
- Inclusion and/or integration of required components
- Completion and/or submission by the due date
- Completion within specified parameters (e.g. length of presentations, performances, or practical assessments, length of submission for recorded presentations or a word count)
- Length of submission (e.g. for recorded presentations or word count)
It is crucial that the marking process is constructively aligned, equitable, transparent, consistent, and fair.
Marking and grading processes work in conjunction with feedback but they are not synonymous. This means that making gives students an evaluation of their performance and grading allows them to quantify that performance. Feedback, on the other hand, complements this and assists students in identifying areas of strength or where improvements can be made.
