Summary of duties

1. Principal Assessors are responsible for setting and marking the examination papers and preparing the cribs. 
2. Second Assessors assist the Principal Assessors.  In particular, they should scrutinize all the coursework exercises for the module as a means of quality control and confirm in writing to the Chair of Examiners that the length/workload and content are appropriate.
3. Group Examiners have overall responsibility for ensuring that the quality assurance procedures are maintained within their Group, plus any imported modules requested by the Chair of Examiners.  Their level of responsibility is above that of the Principal Assessors. 

Setting the paper for Part II

1. Questions should aim to examine the current year's work as listed in the objectives and syllabus for the module.
2. Papers should be set at a level of difficulty that will produce an average mark in the range 60% to 65% on each paper. 
3. The three-part question structure used in Part I can be used, but in Part IIA and IIB papers the problems may place more emphasis on deeper understanding and the allocation of credit to the different parts of a question will reflect the change in emphasis.
4. At Part II Examiners should include questions which require students to synthesize information to check that the students have a good understanding of the topic.
5. Each questions must be checked independently by two appropriate people, usually the Principal and Second Assessors. Both should prepare independent solutions.

Marking and scaling

1. The Principal Assessor is responsible for the marking of the coursework. Any subcontracting of marking must be approved ahead of time by the Teaching Office and Chair of Examiners.
2. As the standard of questions may change from year to year and between modules, it is recommended that Assessors check that their setting and marking have not been either unduly severe or unduly lenient.
3. Each module is normalised individually according to procedures agreed by the Board of Examiners.  Scaling should be used where necessary, and to the least degree consistent with producing the required change.  Where an Assessor finds a serious discrepancy arising, the Chair should be consulted and consideration given to either modifying the marking scheme or otherwise adjusting the marks.
4. Where marks have been normalised, the Examiners at their meetings will consider only the normalised marks in their discussions and in reaching their decisions.

Cribs and reports

1. The Faculty Board requires every Assessor to provide a written report on the examination or coursework assignment to be sent to the Chair at the time the marks are handed in.  A copy of the report is to be placed in the Assessor’s file for the Assessor in the following year.  Where raw marks have been adjusted, the effect of the adjustment on the raw marks must be recorded in the report.
2. Assessors are required to provide cribs for their papers.  The Faculty Board recommends to Assessors the practice of including in the cribs comments that may serve as a useful guide to future students.  Specific comments may be added after each solution. Alternatively the section of the Assessor’s report that deals with individual questions may be reproduced on the last page of the crib. Assessors should update their crib in the light of examination marking where necessary and ensure that this updated version is supplied for putting on the web for future students.