Grading language in 'Staatsexamen' essays

 

Edward Martin grades the language component of the essay exam; the content component is graded by the relevant subject instructor.

The language grade - if between 1.0 and 4.3 - is weighted 50% of the final grade; the content grade is also weighted 50%. However, in accordance with the Prüfungsordnung, essays that are given a language grade of 4.7 or lower cannot be awarded a higher final grade, no matter how good the content grade is. Essays that are given a language grade of 6 automatically receive a final grade of 6, regardless of the content grade. Details below.

Dictionaries  In the exams, you are allowed to use any two of the following 4 monolingual English dictionaries (no older editions are permitted):

  • Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (7th or 8th edition, 2005/2010) 
  • Longman's Dictionary of Contemporary English (5th edition 2009)
  • Macmillan's Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2nd, edition 2007)
  • Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2003)  
  • plus 
  • Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English (1st edition 2002, or 2nd edition 2009)

  

Accuracy

  • Language accuracy: how many error points are "tolerated" on one standard page? 

A standard page has 250 words - at the end of the exam, students count the number of words on each page and write the number of words at the bottom of each page and then the total at the end. The number of error points depends on how often and what kind of errors are made: are the errors basic, careless, or are they made while writing advanced English; are they made in vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, or in spelling and punctuation? A high number of points can also be lost if the intended meaning of your English is lost or is very unclear. Look at the table of error codes for details.

 

 Range

  • What range of vocabulary, grammar, idiomatic English and syntax is used?

We expect an advanced level of English in all these areas. An essay that is 100% accurate but written in basic English would fail.

  • Is the essay written in the appropriate register with the appropriate vocabulary and syntax?

We expect academic English. An essay written entirely in the register of spoken English would not pass.

  • Is the essay long enough?

We expect a minimum of 1,000 words in four hours. You must count the number of words you have written at the end of the exam and write the total down on your essay.


Grades  Content (and structure): 50%; Language: 50%. BUT: a 5+ to 6 in language leads automatically to a fail grade overall, regardless of the content.

Grade Scale: 5 error points per page with a very good range of idiomatic language is enough for a grade 1. 16 error points per page with an average-to-poor range of language and with numerous serious errors is enough for a grade 6.

 

Plagiarism also leads to a fail grade. Click on these links below for information about plagiarism and how to avoid it.

http://www.plagiarism.org/

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/printable/589/http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

http://www.writing.northwestern.edu/avoiding_plagiarism.html



Correction Codes for Essay Writing A student's writing at the state-exam level should be accurate, idiomatic, and demonstrate a good range of syntax and vocabulary compatible with an advanced level of English. It should be free of significant interference from the writer's first language. "Serious" errors are therefore errors that show significant interference from the writer's first language, or significant limitations in the writer's grasp of grammar, syntax  or vocabulary, limitations incompatible with an advanced mastery of English. 

Error codes

Error points

art

article

1-2 points off 

depending on seriousness

cap

capitals

0.5-1 point off

depending on seriousness

col

collocation

1-2 points off

depending on seriousness

h

howler

3 points off

very serious - or very funny - basic error

p

punctuation

0.5-1 point off

depending on seriousness

r

repeat

repeat errors are not scored

reg

register

0.5-2 points off

too informal/formal or AmE/BrE confusion

s

sense

2 - 3 points off

major distortion of intended sense, or sense unclear

sp

spelling

0.5-1 point off

depending on seriousness

syn

syntax

1-2 points off

depending on seriousness

t

tense

2 points off

vf

verb form

2 points off

w

wrong word

1-2 points off

depending on seriousness

wf

word form

1-2 points off

wo

word order

1-2 points off

/

word too many

1-2 points off

depending on seriousness
/\    word omitted 1-2 points off

~~~~~

squiggle

0 points off

not wrong, but not quite correct
Bonus points (ticks) are awarded for particularly good use of vocabulary, idiom or syntax and they can offset errors made in these areas. 

 


 

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15.08.2010