Negative marking with a difference

There are always several marks on examination papers where the ability to follow instructions, as stated in a question, is as important as the subject knowledge. Students can lose several marks through poor examination technique.

Procedure

When you return marked homework to your students, encourage them to go through it carefully to analyse where and why they have lost marks.

Introduce an additional marking strategy. This is designed to draw students' attention to areas where marks have been lost, not due to lack of biological knowledge, but to poor examination technique.

When you mark students' work for factual accuracy, add a circle with a minus figure in it to draw their attention to the fact that, for instance, ‘1 mark’ has been lost through poor examination technique. Also write PET by the side (Poor Examination Technique).

>>Download two examples
Student work 1 (205 KB)
Student work 2 (117 KB)

>>Download a mark analysis sheet
Mark analysis (77 KB)

Provide each student with a chart like the one you can download here. Encourage them to complete it every time you return marked work. It will soon become second nature and, as their examination technique improves, they should have less to write each time.

Commentary

This may sound like extra work but it only takes a few seconds. In fact you only need to write in detail how marks have been lost for the first few times.

From then on your students can work it out for themselves, and start to take responsibility for their own learning.

What makes this go well for the students

Student’s at all key stages seem to learn a lot from this marking strategy. With time they can peer mark scripts and add the negative marking scores for themselves. It really does make them more aware of what constitutes ‘good examination technique’, and with time you should see an improvement in your student’s grades.

Last updated: 21 May 2008