Anomalous Remarks (1 Viewer)

[SirLexicon]

Hello all
I wanted to ask about 'anomalous remarks'. In English Extension 2, I topped the grade and my school mark was 49/50. Throughout the course, I received only positive feedback - including from some teachers who had been X2 markers themselves. Nonetheless, my Major Work only received 37/50 at the marking centre, giving me an overall mark of 43/50. For a subject in which I was expecting to have my *best* course mark, this was a pretty big shock. I'm fairly convinced that my UAI was significantly (and negatively) effected by the mark because X2 had to be included. Anyhow, my principal has applied for something called an 'anomalous remark'. This isn't a clerical remark - apparently, markers are actually paid to recheck major works before issuing a letter to applicants explaining why/if the marks have moved. Just for the record:
I'm told the mark *cannot* go down - only stay how it is or go up.
I was wondering if anyone else has received an anomalous remark in the past, when they received a notification of any changes and what the notification included. Also, if a remark affects your UAI (even a clerical recheck) does it have any bearing on your ability to apply to University? Or does it come out too late for your main round preferences to be changed, existing only to give you peace of mind? Any help would be great. At the moment I'm looking at university courses and whatnot as if the UAI I've received is the one I'll have to use. That said, I don't need to say how annoying it is to work so hard and get a surprisingly bad mark that leaves you knocking at the door of the course you want but not being allowed inside. So damn frustrating :angry:

 

[Lazarus]

If your mark is increased as a result of your principal's appeal, your UAI will be recalculated before main round offers are finalised.

The fact that you were ranked first internally and that your assessment mark was reported as 49/50 means that at least one other student from your class received 49/50 externally for their major work.

I agree that a difference of 12 marks is surprising - particularly when it is clear that at least one other student in your class scored close to top marks.

 

[SirLexicon]

Thank you so much Does that mean it would be best for me to keep the course I just missed out on as my first preference, in case my UAI is lifted, and list my preferences (based on the UAI I recieved) in 2nd, 3rd and fourth places (until I fill up nine places)?

 

[Lazarus]

You should always list your courses in order of preference.

Put the course that you want to do most at the top of the list, irrespective of past cut-offs.

I understand the desire to utilise as many of your UAI points as possible by prioritising the course with the highest cut-off, but a year or two down the track you aren't going to be happy with that course unless it's the course that you really want to be doing.

It's difficult to appreciate this when you've just finished the HSC. I remember going through the same thing.

 

[kasakiki]

im right there with you sirlexicon, my principle sent away for an 'anomalous remark' too, as my internal mark was 44/50 whereas my external mark was 15/50 -just a bit of a difference there....my course choice doesnt ride on getting a remark as yours would seem to, mine is a peace of mind thing.

 

[lionking1191]

those things seems to happen a lot with english. our top ranked ext1 only got 43/50 too, and 40% get E4.

 

[BOSBOY]

those things seems to happen a lot with english. our top ranked ext1 only got 43/50 too, and 40% get E4.

EE2 has the worst record for anomalous inquiries. Many schools seem to think they have a brilliant writer, only to be brought back to Earth when the HSC results come out.

More teachers need to mark this course in order to understand what is valued.

 

[jaimebien]

That's true. There's a major discrepancy between the standards of marking for the internal and external assesments for English Ext 2. There are a lot of people in my school who drop a lot when it comes to the external assessment.

 

[kasakiki]

yah, i knew it was a possibility that it would bomb, and i dont think that im a brilliant writer by ANY means,lol, but 15/50?! the band descriptors for that mark go on about having a very basic grasp of english, and developing insights into whatever,lol, and i hoped i would be slightly above "developing" standard...

 

[BOSBOY]

The fact that you were ranked first internally and that your assessment mark was reported as 49/50 means that at least one other student from your class received 49/50 externally for their major work.

Not necessarily. His exam mark (37/50) may have been a depressed score and omitted from initial moderation. The moderated assessment mark (49/50) would then have been calculated by interpolation between the moderated assessment of the second-ranked student and 50/50.

 

[Timothy.Siu]

Not necessarily. His exam mark (37/50) may have been a depressed score and omitted from initial moderation. The moderated assessment mark (49/50) would then have been calculated by interpolation between the moderated assessment of the second-ranked student and 50/50.

nope, the first guy always gets the first mark regardless

 

[BOSBOY]

nope, the first guy always gets the first mark regardless

Very simplistic ..... and very wrong.

See [http://community.boredofstudies.org/134/uai-hsc-marks-technical-arcana/64564/question-about-moderating.html#post1379356].

 

[Lazarus]

The fact that you were ranked first internally and that your assessment mark was reported as 49/50 means that at least one other student from your class received 49/50 externally for their major work.

Not necessarily. His exam mark (37/50) may have been a depressed score and omitted from initial moderation. The moderated assessment mark (49/50) would then have been calculated by interpolation between the moderated assessment of the second-ranked student and 50/50.

Hmm, yes, I believe you're correct.

However, in relation to the second point, my understanding was that the moderated assessment would be extrapolated rather than interpolated - linearly from the top of the moderating curve (with the same gradient as the endpoint of the curve). If the extrapolated mark exceeds the maximum possible mark, it is set to the maximum possible mark.

 

[dp624]

Wait, so would this be why:
A, B - 1st internally
C, D, E, F and me - 3rd internally

A gets an external mark of 100.
C, D, E get external marks of 99.
I get external mark of 97.
B gets an external mark of 96.

A then gets internal 99, external 100 = 100
B then gets internal 99, external 96 = 98
C, D, E = internal 99, external 99 = 99
Me = internal 99, external 97

And B is ranked higher than I was in state ranking?

 

[Pwnage101]

Very simplistic ..... and very wrong.

See [http://community.boredofstudies.org/134/uai-hsc-marks-technical-arcana/64564/question-about-moderating.html#post1379356].

um, this is a quote from that link: "The top moderated assessment mark must be equal to the top examination mark."

 

[Lazarus]

Wait, so would this be why:
A, B - 1st internally
C, D, E, F and me - 3rd internally

A gets an external mark of 100.
C, D, E get external marks of 99.
I get external mark of 97.
B gets an external mark of 97.

A then gets internal 99, external 100 = 100
B then gets internal 99, external 96 = 98
C, D, E = internal 99, external 99 = 99
Me = internal 99, external 97

And B is ranked higher than I was in state ranking?

A gets internal 99.5, external 100 = 99.75
B gets internal 99.5, external 97 = 98.25

The 'averaging external marks' approach for tied students only applies if they're ranked equal first. Other tied students will receive the same moderated assessment mark but in most cases it won't be an average of exam marks.

It's not possible to determine the internal marks for C, D, E, F and yourself without knowing the internal and external marks for the rest of the class.

 

[dp624]

Sorry, I meant B got a 96 external and was ranked higher than I was. It probably went to the decimals - 99.5 and 96 vs 99 and 97.

So does that mean everyone ranked 3rd would get the 3rd highest external, once relative differences are accounted for?

 

[BOSBOY]

um, this is a quote from that link: "The top moderated assessment mark must be equal to the top examination mark."

And um, um, um, it also states "Students should not be disadvantaged by 'anomalous' performances in the examination."

This is achieved by temporarily removing the depressed score (and that student) from the moderation process. If the top student has a depressed exam mark, the second-ranked student then assumes the role of top-ranked student, and is awarded the highest exam mark as his/her moderated assessment. Only then is the top-ranked student introduced back into the group, with a suitably-adjusted moderated assessment.

An example of that method at work is shown in the attachment.

 

[dp624]

Wow ok, never knew that. hmm
So coming 1st internally really helps then.

 

[lyounamu]

And um, um, um, it also states "Students should not be disadvantaged by 'anomalous' performances in the examination."

This is achieved by temporarily removing the depressed score (and that student) from the moderation process. If the top student has a depressed exam mark, the second-ranked student then assumes the role of top-ranked student, and is awarded the highest exam mark as his/her moderated assessment. Only then is the top-ranked student introduced back into the group, with a suitably-adjusted moderated assessment.

An example of that method at work is shown in the attachment.

That's actually very interesting. I never knew about such a "scheme".

But hey, you always learn something new!