The Use of Student Derived Marking Criteria in Peer and Self-assessment

Abstract

This paper reports a study which implemented and evaluated a method of student self and peer assessment involving student constructed marking criteria. The theme of the importance of marking criteria (Orsmond et al ., 1996, 1997) is developed. Pairs of first-year undergraduate biology students were asked to complete a poster assignment. The study was designed to allow the comparison and evaluation of (1) student self and tutor marking for individual marking criteria; (2) student self and peer marking for individual marking criteria; and (3) student and tutor marking for student constructed and tutor provided individual marking criteria. The present study shows that: (a) students may be less able to discriminate between individual marking criteria which they have constructed compared to marking criteria that have been provided; (b) asking students to construct their own marking criteria in discussion with tutors or fellow students does not enhance agreement between student/tutor or student/student marking; and (c) allowing students to construct their own marking criteria may lead to different learning outcomes compared to providing students with a marking criteria.