Examiner Background and the Effect on Marking Reliability

Abstract

Arising from recommendations of the independent panel report on maintaining GCE A-Level standards (Baker, McGraw, & Lord Sutherland of Houndwood, January 2002), this report discusses a study of the background of examiners and the marks they give.

Even though there is little published literature which relates reliability to examiner characteristics, the presented work is set in the context of existing marking reliability research. Data from a sample of 21 AQA A2 units, marked by 356 examiners in summer 2002 has been analysed by fitting four multilevel models. Each model considers a different aspect of marking reliability as represented by four statistical measures: the difference between senior examiner and assistant examiner mark; the absolute difference between senior examiner and assistant examiner mark; the probability of a numerical adjustment having been made to the assistant examiner's marks and the examiner performance rating. Unit, examiner, centre and candidate level independent variables are included where they explain a significant amount of variation in the dependent variable.

How to cite

Pinot de Moira, A. (2003). Examiner Background and the Effect on Marking Reliability. Manchester: AQA Centre for Education Research and Practice.

Keywords

• Reliability
• Examiners