Descriptive vs Narrative Essays
The IGCSE English First Language exam places a strong emphasis on creative writing, with writing descriptive and narrative essays being
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The marking and grading process of exam papers by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) is a meticulous and standardized procedure designed to ensure fairness, accuracy, and consistency in evaluating student performance.
This guide provides an overview of how exam papers are assessed, from initial marking by examiners to the final grading decisions that determine students’ results. By understanding the key principles and methods employed by CIE, educators, students, and stakeholders can gain insight into how marks are awarded and grades are determined, ensuring confidence in the reliability of the examination system.
*If the video isn’t playing for you, please read below.
Most of the exam scripts are scanned and marked by the examiners on their computers. Other exam scripts are marked manually on paper. For the multiple-choice component, the computer automatically marks the papers.
Cambridge examiners are composed of teachers and subject experts. Their task is to mark the exam scripts at the same standard. This means all the examiners mark according to the mark scheme and they all apply the mark scheme in the same way.
A team of experienced senior examiners mark a sample set of exam scripts based on the mark scheme. They then agree to the marks. These same exam scripts set the standard and will be used by the other examiners to practice marking. This is to make sure that all examiners understand how to mark the same way. For the final part of calibration, they mark another set of scripts as a test. They then begin to start marking all other papers.
The senior examiners review all the markings of every examiner. This is to ensure that they are all marked correctly. If an examiner fails to mark consistently, another examiner remarks the scripts.
CIE uses grade boundaries to convert marks into grades. The grade boundaries are the minimum mark needed to achieve a grade. It considers statistical evidence and expert judgment to agree to grade boundary. It also accounts the slight difference in the level of difficulty every year.
When the grade boundaries are set, it is applied to marks for grading. The senior examiners carry out final checks on the markings and the results are then sent to the schools.
The raw mark is the sum of all the total marks achieved in that component.
The mark found on the candidate’s completed examination script is the raw mark. For example in Syllabus 0620, the candidate’s raw mark in Component 41 is 20 out of the 80 total marks available.
Raw marks are adjusted to ensure fairness and equality. It can be adjusted due to scaling, granting of special consideration or both. Scaling is applied to ensure consistency across the marking process and the different examiners. Special consideration is granted if CIE agrees to an earlier formal request from a Centre. Usually, there is no need to adjust marks and the mark stays as a raw mark.
For example, the candidate’s component 41 raw mark of 20 is adjusted to 21 to reflect the fairness and consistency of marking between examiners.
Compare the component’s raw mark with the component’s grade thresholds. The component grade can be found on the subject syllabus? Grade Threshold.
For example, the candidate’s component 41 adjusted mark is 21, its component grade falls under the grade D threshold.
Calculate the final mark by multiplying each component’s mark by its weighting
factor. Weighting factor is the value assigned by CIE to indicate the level of importance of each component. The component weighting factors can be found here.
Calculate the syllabus total by adding all final marks together. Round up syllabus totals that end in 0.5 to the nearest whole number.
For example, the candidate’s component 41 adjusted mark (21) is multiplied by the component’s weighing factor which in this case is 1.25. This will lead to the candidate’s component 41 final mark of 21 x 1.25 = 26.25.
Consequently, when all the component’s final mark is computed, the candidate’s syllabus total can be calculated by adding it. For example, the candidate?s final marks for each component are 28.5, 26.25 and 20 for Components 21, 41 and 61 respectively. The sum of all of these component marks totals to 74.75. It is then rounded off to the nearest whole number that is 75.
Compare the syllabus total to the overall grade threshold. Make sure that the option code is correct. As the grade thresholds for different options may not be the same.
For example, if the candidate took the combination of Components 21, 41, and 61, the syllabus grade should be compared to Option CX grade threshold. As such if the candidate’s syllabus total is 75, it falls under the Grade D threshold because Grade D threshold are for 71 marks and above. The Grade C threshold is for marks that are 84 and above.
* All info taken from CIE. The above video is made by CIE.
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Lanja Omer
United Arab Emirates
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130 responses
Dear Sir/Madam
I need a sample paper marked by igcse examiners for maths (0580) for both core and extended.So kindly share if any.
Hello Abrar,
You may be interested with our Mark Your Paper service here: https://www.skolatis.com/mark-your-papers/
You can send in your past paper and a qualified examiner will mark it along with feedback on: your mistakes, suggestions to improve, the marks awarded for each question.
Hello, I have a question, I have Igcse Additional Maths, which has 2 papers(1 and 2), I am worried that what if I fail in paper 1 and get really good marks in paper 2 so that the total comes out to be enough for the threshold for passing, so will I pass if this situation happens?
Hello Gaurav,
Each component has its weighting factor. Weighting factor is the value assigned by CAIE to indicate the importance of each component. As such, if you did not do well in one paper, it will affect your overall syllabus grade.
For more information regarding the marking process, kindly read the article above. Thank you.
Hello, I have a question, I have Igcse Additional Maths, which has 2 papers(1 and 2), I am worried that what if I fail in paper 1 and get really good marks in paper 2 so that the total comes out to be enough for the threshold for passing, so will I pass if this situation happens? Thanks.
Hello Gaurav,
Each component has its weighting factor. Weighting factor is the value assigned by CAIE to indicate the importance of each component. As such, if you did not do well in one paper, it will affect your overall syllabus grade.
Hello IGCSE Team,
I am a teacher, and my question is: what if a student answers a question in a way whose method does not exactly match with the marking scheme? but still uses the math concepts either at the grade level (or below) and gets the correct answers.
Hello Kiran Kumar Jinka,
Thank you for writing in.
The mark scheme does not include all possible methods, so if a candidate use a method not included in the mark scheme but it is accurate and relevant, then the examiner will still award marks for the appropriate parts of the working – unless the question asks to use a specific method.
Thank you so much Great Help!
Hi Ashen,
You are very much welcome. We are glad to help you.
Hello! Can i know out of how much are the igcse papers and above how much is a 9.
Hello Ashen,
Each syllabus has different total marks. Furthermore, the grade thresholds are decided after each examination has been taken and marked. To give you an idea, we suggest that you download past exam papers here: https://www.skolatis.com/cambridge-igcse-past-exam-papers/
Thank you.
Good morning, I want to know if D is considered a pass for IGCSE
Hello Jay,
Grades below C are considered pass. However, if you plan to further your studies, we strongly suggest that you check the subject grade requirements of your preferred college/university.
We hope this helps. Thank you.
Good morning!
I’ve a doubt about grade threshold. Is there any difference between the threshold of Feb-March series for India and May-June series for the world?
Hello Kushagra,
The grade threshold is slightly different in each exam series. These thresholds are decided after each examination has been taken and marked. The aim in each examination series is to set each threshold in just the right place to ensure that it is no more difficult and no less difficult to obtain that grade than it was in the previous exam series.
good morning!
I feel so stupid right now
I used 2 different signatures in my IGCSE Multiple choice papers for biology and accounting. The thing is My Name Candidate Number and Centre Number are already pre printed in my answer sheet which makes the situation worse since my signature would logically be the only thing to verify me. Will l be disqualified?
thank you in advance
Hello Ivy,
Your paper will be marked accordingly. The signature is to confirm the details in the pre-printed answer sheet if they are correct. Furthermore, your invigilator has already verified your identity when you entered the examination hall.
Next time please make sure that you sign with the same signature in all your exams.
thank u very much!
You are very much welcome, Ivy.
good morning!
I have a question regarding the marking of answers in IGCSE accounting. I crossed out a wrong answer and there was no more space to write the corrected answer. On the next page there was only one theory question that only covered a quarter of the page, so l rewrote my answer on the blank page below. the blank area did not have dotted lines it was just a blank space without anything printed. so will my answer be scanned and marked? I labelled on the page the question number and l also indicated on the cancelled answer that the corrected answer is on page 10.
your response is greatly helpful.
Hello Nelly,
Do not worry. If you properly labelled your answer and it is within the space provided then the examiner would be able to follow it.
when you say within the space provided do you mean my answer had to be located on the dotted lines because mine was not, it was on the blank space left below the end of a question.
Hello Nelly,
If it is not at the bottom of the paper, it would still fit into the scanned screen. So, examiner would be able to read your answers.
so where it is written “turn over” is that the boundary for scanning? Sorry to be a bother
Hello Nelly,
For such confirmation, please kindly write to the exam board, CAIE. Only the exam board, or the exam officer in your school is able to give this confirmation to you.