The process by which an assessor evaluates a piece of student work against a set of marking criteria is somewhat hidden and potentially complex. This judgement process is under-researched, particularly in contexts where teachers (rather than trained examiners) conduct the assessment and in contexts involving extended pieces of work. This paper…

The implementation of assessment policies can sometimes achieve almost the reverse of what was originally intended. Studies published in a special issue of "Assessment in Education" provide the basis for this bird's eye view of particular practices in post-compulsory education and training in the UK. Problems identified include the trend…