Searching for Best Practice in the Application of Mark Schemes: Top Ten Tips for Successful Post-hoc Marking

Uncertainties within most teaching and learning contexts make it difficult for assessment designers to predict the challenge experienced by students during an assignment. For this reason, “post-hoc” adaptation of mark schemes sometimes take place after an assessment has been completed. This is often to compensate for inaccurate assumptions embedded within the assessment itself. Such adjustments occur within many spheres of education and a goal here is to open conversations around the use of these strategies. The overall aim of this paper is to explore and investigate some of these practices and propose a set of guidelines for educators in designing flexible mark schemes and achieving adaptable, yet consistent, marking processes.