Most chosen general qualifications exam board in England.

  • About AQA

  • Centre Services

  • Join Us

  • Contact Us

AQA
  • Subjects
  • Qualifications
  • Professional Development
  • Exams Admin
  • Services
  • Search
  • Subjects

  • Qualifications

  • Professional Development

  • Exams Admin

  • Services

  • About AQA

  • Centre Services

  • Join Us

  • Contact Us

  • Log in

Subjects

  • Accounting

  • Art and Design

  • Biology

  • Business

  • Chemistry

  • Computer Science

  • Dance

  • Design and Technology

  • Drama

  • Economics

  • English

  • Food preparation and Nutrition

  • French

  • Geography

  • German

  • History

  • Law

  • Mathematics

  • Media Studies

  • Music

  • Physical Education

  • Physics

  • Politics

  • Psychology

  • Religious Studies

  • Science

  • Sociology

  • Spanish

  • All subjects

GCSEs

  • Biology (8461)

  • Chemistry (8462)

  • Combined Science: Trilogy (8464)

  • English Language (8700)

  • English Literature (8702)

  • Geography (8035)

  • History (8145)

  • Mathematics (8300)

  • See all GCSEs

AS and A-levels

  • Biology (7401)

  • Business (7131)

  • Chemistry (7404)

  • Geography (7037)

  • History (7041)

  • Physics (7407)

  • Psychology (7181)

  • Sociology (7191)

  • See all AS and A-Levels

Other qualifications

  • Applied Generals

  • AQA Certificate Mathematics

  • Entry Level Certificates

  • Project Qualifications

  • Unit Award Scheme

  • All qualifications

Our training

  • Course finder

  • About our training

  • Online training

  • Face-to-face training

  • In-school training

  • Inside assessment

Courses by theme

  • Effective exam prep

  • Exams officers

  • Getting started

  • Unit Award Scheme

Courses by subject

  • English

  • Mathematics

  • Science

  • Languages

  • Design and Technology

  • Physical Education

  • Geography

  • History

  • All professional development

Dates

  • Dates and timetables

  • Key dates

Non-exam assessment (NEA)

  • NEA, coursework and controlled assessment

  • Deadlines for non-exam assessment

  • Record forms

  • Submit marks

Exams

  • Entries

  • Entry fees

  • Exams guidance

  • Question papers and stationery

  • Access arrangements

  • Special consideration

Results

  • Results days

  • Results slips

  • Grade boundaries

  • Results statistics

  • Post-results services

  • Exam certificates

  • All Exams Admin

Assessment Services

  • Centre Services

  • Associate Extranet

  • Become an associate

Products

  • All About Maths

  • Alpha Plus

  • Data Insights

  • Exampro

  • Project Q

  • Stride Maths

  • Testbase

  • Unit Award Scheme

News and Insights

  • AQI research and insight

  • News

  • Inside exams podcast

AQA
  • Become an examiner
  • Switch to AQA
  • Contact Us
  • Join us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Accessibility
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Privacy notice
  • Cookie notice
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube

©AQA 2025 | Company number: 03644723 | Registered office: Devas Street, Manchester, M15 6EX | AQA is not responsible for the content of external sites

AQA Education has obtained an injunction preventing interference with public examinations. This notice is to alert you to the injunction, so that you are aware of it and can make submissions about it if you wish to do so.

  1. Home
  2. About Us
  3. Our Research
  4. Research Library
  5. The use of 'live' versus photocopied scripts in the first phase sample of marking standardisation

The use of 'live' versus photocopied scripts in the first phase sample of marking standardisation

Share this page

  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn
  • X
  • Facebook
The use of 'live' versus photocopied scripts in the first phase sample of marking
            standardisation

The use of 'live' versus photocopied scripts in the first phase sample of marking standardisation

01 May 2006

PDF | 1.06 MB

The use of 'live' versus photocopied scripts in the first phase sample of marking standardisation

By Michelle Meadows

Abstract

Prior to beginning marking, all examiners attend a Standardisation Meeting at which they are trained in the application of the mark scheme. Following the meeting, a First Phase Sample script review is conducted. This sample consists of ten scripts (five photocopied scripts and five ‘live’ scripts selected from the examiners' marking allocation). The scripts are marked by the examiner and forwarded to the Senior Examiner who then re-marks them. The Senior Examiner provides feedback to the examiner, including whether he/she is cleared to continue marking.

This paper reports a study to investigate whether, in a number of GCE units, the type of script (‘live’ or photocopied) affected the size of marking discrepancies between the Senior Examiners and examiners and/or Senior Examiners’ decisions to clear examiners to mark.

It was found that there was a greater discrepancy between examiners’ and Senior Examiners’ marking of photocopied than ‘live’ scripts. This was possibly because examiners’ marking of photocopied scripts was compared with a pre-set mark allocation, while the Senior Examiners’ marking of ‘live’ scripts was influenced by the marks and comments of the original examiner. Senior Examiners’ decisions to clear examiners to mark were influenced by discrepancies in examiners’ marking of both photocopied and ‘live’ scripts. Photocopied scripts provide the Senior Examiner with a valuable method of comparing examiners.

It is recommended that the effect on standardisation of including ‘live’ scripts only in the First Phase Sample, as planned from January 2004, should be carefully monitored.

How to cite

Meadows, M. (2006). The use of 'live' versus photocopied scripts in the first phase sample of marking standardisation. Manchester: AQA Centre for Education Research and Policy.

Keywords

  • Examiners
  • Transparency