Summary Marking: Paraphrase, Copying and the Word Limit
In a mock examination, candidates summarise a 480-word article on traditional grain storage in 120 words. The mark scheme awards 10 marks for content points, 5 for paraphrase and 3 for length. Candidate A writes 118 words but includes a 27-word sentence copied unchanged from the article; the sentence contains two of the ten content points, and A includes six other acceptable points. Candidate B writes 126 words, misses one content point, but paraphrases every retained point. Candidate C writes 96 words, includes all ten points in note form, and uses four bullet points. The HOD says A should lose all paraphrase marks, B should lose all length marks, and C should be capped at 8 because bullets are not continuous prose. A second marker says the penalties are double-counting. The syllabus says summaries must be in continuous prose and within the limit, and that paraphrase is assessed separately from content.
1. Mark Candidate A's summary. Show the content, paraphrase and length marks, and explain whether the copied sentence can earn content marks.
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A: content 8/10 (the copied sentence carries two points; six others are acceptable). Paraphrase 2/5: the 27-word copied string is too long to count as paraphrase, and the rest of the summary is mostly close to the source. Length 3/3: 118 words is within 120. Total 13/18. The copied sentence can earn content because the information is correct and relevant; it cannot earn paraphrase because the wording is not the candidate's. This is not double-counting: content and paraphrase are separate criteria. Losing all five paraphrase marks would be excessive because only one sentence is copied; losing content for the copied points would be double penalty.
2. Mark B and C. Resolve the disagreement about length and bullet points.
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B: content 9/10; paraphrase 5/5; length 2/3 (126 words is 6 over, a small overrun). Total 16/18. C: content 10/10; paraphrase 3/5; length 3/3. Total 16/18. Bullet points are a format error: the syllabus requires continuous prose, so C should not receive full paraphrase marks, but the content is accurate and should not be capped at 8. Capping content would punish the candidate twice for the same format choice. B's overrun is minor and should not lose all length marks. The HOD's proposed penalties (A loses all paraphrase, B loses all length, C capped at 8) are disproportionate.
3. Recommend a wording change to the rubric to prevent double penalties in future.
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Rewrite the rubric: 'Content: award for accurate points, including points inside a copied string. Paraphrase: deduct where a string of eight or more words is copied unchanged; one copied string does not remove all paraphrase marks. Length: apply one band only; 120–126 words = 2/3, 127+ = 1/3, below 108 = 2/3. Format: bullet points are allowed for content but cap paraphrase at 3/5.' This prevents double penalties and makes the distinction between content, wording and length explicit.