eMark - on-screen marking software

eMark facilitates on-screen marking for short and long text responses to complement the work of human examiners. Once candidates have completed an examination, scripts are scanned in eScan using high-speed scanners and uploaded into eMark for further processing with no physical scripts sent to examiners.

Accessible by web browser, eMark automatically identifies the exam paper and extracts the relevant response areas from the page. Invalid or unreadable responses will be shown to a marker for manual marking. Marking is carried out at item level as opposed to candidate level with markers able to view entire screens containing the same items. This helps expedite the process of bulk item marking.

Typically, our on-screen marking software includes four different user types and each has different capabilities. The team structure, hierarchy and responsibilities are outlined below:

• Admin user – view statistics, manage users, team/products and system
• Team Leader – view team / marker statistics, manage queue, release marks, manage users and manage settings
• Monitor - monitor electronic marking system errors/discrepancies by item, making judgments or issuing re-scan requests if required
• Marker – mark items and view marker statistics.

How it works

Upon log-in to the computer based assessment software, markers are presented with an ‘Overview’ screen which shows their statistics and provides access to the ‘notice board’ and support messaging system.

Item allocation

Typically allocated one question type (instead of one paper) to mark, markers are presented with as many candidate responses to that question as will fill their screen. This allows them to identify incorrect responses quickly. Once a marker has marked a pre-defined number of items, they are allocated a new question to prevent fatigue.

Bulk item entry

If all responses displayed contain a correct answer, markers will be able to submit ‘correct marks for all’. Where there are incorrect responses, markers can flag these before submitting.

The dashboard can also handle long item marking and multiple marks for relevant items.

Submitting marks

Once markers have completed a screen (i.e. indicated every response displayed to be correct or incorrect), they will be able to click a button to submit marks. If a marker attempts to submit without marking each candidate, an explanatory warning is displayed.

After ‘marks’ have been submitted for a screen, the process is repeated until all marking is finished. When a marker has finished their allocated marking, and there are no more responses to mark, a message is displayed.

Quality control

Throughout, marking quality assurance rules are automatically enforced across a session, with doublemarking, error rates, marker probation periods, escalations and hierarchical marker monitoring built into the workflow. This enables you to identify training requirements and adhere to marking policies by only releasing accurate marks.

To arrange a demonstration of our computer-aided assessment solutions, please contact us.