Essay Marking - the Truth!

Essays and assessments are the most talked about topic in Trinity College. The College
operates a system of anonymous marking that gives students anonymity when submitting an
assessment. To most students the marking system remains a mystery - until now. This
exclusive, recently leaked memo gives an insight into the way lecturers arrive at their often
incomprehensible final mark!

Memo - Strictly Confidential

From: The Office of the Principal.

To: All faculty

Date: 01/07/2006

With the arrival of Context Based Training this academic year, scrutiny on the set of marks
awarded will be higher than ever. In light of this the academic executive has carried out a
thorough review of marking guidelines, and you are requested to adhere to the following
three step process.

Step 1 - The Base Mark

As in previous years the base mark for all essays is easily derived. Please refer to the college
Lectionary, where the Psalm for the day when the work was submitted will provide the base
mark. If this exceeds 80 or is less than 40, try using the Verse number from the New
Testament Reading. If neither of these are suitable simply remove the first two digits from
the students 4-digit candidate number and use that.


Step 2 - Adjustments to the Base Mark

As per normal practice, the Base Mark will be adjusted according to the content of the essay.
However, I can hardly stress sufficiently, that these adjustments must be fair and reasonable
based upon an objective appraisal of the essay's content. Merely subjective measures, or
matters of personal opinion, however well judged, will not stand the scrutiny of the external
examiners. Suitably objective measures for the adjustments may include:

* The number of books in the bibliography

* The use of semi-colons

* The maximum number of footnotes on a page

* Your house number

Step 3 - Bonus Marks

This year bonus marks are being awarded as follows:

2 bonus marks:

* each word of five or more syllables

* each book in the bibliography by a faculty member

* each quote by Rowan Williams or George Kovoor

5 bonus marks:

* each use of the word 'paradigm' or ‘eschatological’

* each quotation from a book by a faculty member

* each footnote that runs to more than one paragraph

10 bonus marks

* each reference to Wholly Trinity.

Based on an article by Simon Stocks, President Trinity College Curry Club, 2002-2003.

Edited and updated by Ali Mepham 2006.