Sessional marking guidelines

Marking and feedback on assessment is a very important aspect of the student academic experience. The work undertaken by our academic community to engage in this important work is reflected in the Marking Guidelines of each faculty. They have been developed with collaboration within and across faculties, with the aim of providing a fair, consistent and transparent approach.

The framework introduces clearly defined time allocations across diverse assessment types, from written assignments to practical demonstrations. It ensures appropriate recognition of time taken to engage with assessments of different types, dependent on the level of feedback, difficulty and marker experience.

Important information for the Dean’s delegate

In most faculties, the Dean’s delegate will be a Chief Examiner or Unit Coordinator. This role is crucial in implementing these guidelines. They will determine the time taken for marking assessment tasks, and any additional multipliers required. They may do this in consultation with a Head of Department or School, as needed.

The marking formula

The guidelines introduce a clear approach to calculating marking time based on three essential elements:

  1. Time needed to engage with the assessment evidence
  2. Time needed to engage with feedback and marking
  3. Level of difficulty of the assessment and marker experience

This formula has been calibrated to all can be applied to all assessment types, and enables nuanced adjustments of time allocations to suit each assessment, its feedback conditions, and individual assessors.

For detailed information about the marking formula, assessment types, time allocations and implementation, please refer to the approved Sessional Marking Guidelines in faculties.

Monash University Marking Calculator Landing Page
(Restricted access to Monash staff only)