Analytic marking
In this approach, the sub-components of writing are analyzed and included as categories to be marked separately - eg Content, Structure, Accuracy, Range of Language (see Appendix 1 for an example). Sometimes the sub-skills are equally weighted, sometimes they are differentially weighted (see Appendix 3).
The advantages of the analytic approach are:
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The disadvantages of analytic marking are:
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During the interviews on assessment conducted for Module 13 a student made the following comment on the use of marking criteria in his university:
I don't think one half of our department really knows what the other half is doing. Different lecturers seem to have different ideas about marking, and although there is a grid for language work in the departmental handbook, when we do essays or an oral presentation, some don't seem to use the grid, while others seem to be using different sorts of grids.
Although it may not be practicable to devise different detailed criteria for every single language task, departments should have agreed criteria for the range of assessment tasks they most commonly employ. Typically, this might include oral presentations, oral interviews, FL essays, summaries and translations. Moreover, these criteria must be specific to language performance and should not be confused with general criteria for work in other areas of the curriculum, such as 'intellectual rigour', 'critical thinking', 'powers of analysis'.
Students should certainly be given copies of marking criteria in advance of doing the assessments, but it is just as important that they see all their tutors actually using them and doing so consistently. Furthermore, feedback ought to refer closely to them. You may like to consider whether students should be given exactly the same criteria as those used by tutors, since departmental criteria often feature needless metalanguage.
Activity 6
| Have a look at Appendices 1, 2 and 3 and compare them with each other. Are there any problems here with metalanguage? Which, if any, would you prefer to give to your students? |
Despite the importance of criteria, students need to realize that although criteria are there to provide a measure of objective guidance, a lot of assessment of FL writing remains subjective, and fine-grade decisions are a matter for academic judgement.
Activity 7
| Imagine you have just arrived at a university in France to teach English as a foreign language. As one of your first tasks you are asked to mark a set of essays, such as the one below. |
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I have to say I am very ashamed be French at this moment here. This is because we have had a very poor election result and the representative of an far-right extreme political party, mister Jean-Marie Le Pen has won through to the second round of the presidential election race. I can not explain to myself why this has happened. Probably the reason for this shameful thing that shows France in a bad light to the international community is that the voters in France at this time here are not interested in politics. Also however the President mister Chirac has to be blamed because a lot of people think he is corrupt and has not used the office of President properly. It think it is a very bad thing that the socialist party has done so badly and I am angry that it's supporters have not gone out to vote (maybe in protest) and as result the extremists have been permitted to gain such a big 'victory'. I can hope and pray that in the next and final ballot the French people will realize the danger of the far-right extremists and will exit to vote in large number to stop Le Pen, even though the majority will not be supporters of Chirac. However there has been a lot of damage to France and its images abroad. It will take a long time to put this to right. What would be your initial reaction to this request? What would you want to know? Why? After you have given this some thought, click on 'Commentary'. |
Activity 8
Again you are going to be put in the position of a marker. This time you
are going to be given a bit more information to help you. First, read
this job advert.
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Is this you? Sociable and outgoing? A native speaker of French, German, Italian or Spanish? Keen to spend the summer in one of Europe's leading cities of culture? Looking to gain work experience in the tourist industry? If so, then read on… The Scottish
Tourist Board is looking for four student reps to organize and accompany
visits to Glasgow and Edinburgh by groups of school pupils from
mainland Europe during the period July to September. The Scottish
Tourist Board |
Imagine you have to mark the two letters below written by overseas students in response to the advert. Write appropriate analytic marking criteria for this exercise, bearing in mind the demands of the task and assuming the students are the equivalent of first-year post-A level students of modern foreign languages in the second week of their course. You might like to use the criteria in Appendix 1 as a starting point and adapt them to this particular task. What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two letters? And which scores higher on your criteria?
Letter 1
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Dear Sir/Madam, I write about your advertisement in Guardian newspaper to find student rep for the summer works. I am all those things you write about and in particular am get on well with all people I know. I work in supermarket on evenings after my study. I French and Spanish speak very good and little Portuguese. I have last summer worked hardly in tourist office in Barcelona and so having had expereince of such work. I apply for this job becaus I love your country a lot since I went on holiday there with my family and because I want in the future to do work in tourist industry and this will give me abundant expereince. Also I like work with young people in all ages and size and I think I will make up a good group leader for young groups. I send with this letter my CV. I hope you like my application and I look forward to hearing your reply. Yours faithfully, |
Letter 2
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Dear Scottish Tourist Board I would very much like to work for you as a holiday rep for groups of overseas students on visits to Scotland. I saw your ad in the paper on 14th April. I am sure my knowledge of German and French (fluent) as well as my conversational Dutch would be extremely helpful to you. I am very easy going and manage to get on with most peoples. Although I have never worked in Scotland and I understand the accent can take a little getting used to, I am sure I shall be fine. Look forward to hearing from you soon, Best wishes, |
Click on 'Commentary' for feedback on this task.
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