What is mark value?
“Mark value” in short answer questions typically refers to the assigned point value or score that a particular question is worth. Each short answer question is assigned a specific mark value which represents the number of points or marks a student can earn by providing a correct and relevant response.
Mark values are indicative of what your answer should require, the length of your response, and the time used to construct it. These mark values are often used to calculate the overall score for an assessment or exam.
Why is it important?
- It can help prioritise student’s study efforts
- It can help students understand the expectations of their teachers
- Students can more strategically manage their time during exams
- Students can strategically decide how much detail to include in their answers
- It can help ease test anxiety by making the process more clear
In essence, understanding mark values empowers students to approach their students, strategically, manage their time effectively and make informed decisions during exams. It contributes to their overall academic success and promotes a sense of fairness and transparency during the educational process.
So, what does each mark require?
Mark values act as indicators for what to include in your short answer response. Below is the listen mark values and what each of them encompass. As a reminder, these can vary, and may require different elements depending on the given question.
1 mark: A general answer 2 marks: A general answer with supporting evidence 3 marks: A general answer with supporting evidence, technique, and effect 4 marks: A point statement with an analysis of at least two well chosen pieces of evidence (including technique) 5 marks: A PEEEEL response
Note that for each response, you are still required to do the bare minimum of writing in full sentences with correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.