No / What do lecturers look for when marking essays? What impresses them and what frustrates them? In this paper, we present the results of a survey which asked lecturers to address these questions. Thirty-two lecturers responded to an email survey in which they listed the problems they found most frustrating when marking essays and the factors which most impressed them. This resulted in 206 comments related to sources of frustration and 139 comments listing factors which impress them. The comments were then coded into themes and ranked in order of importance by 16 lecturers from the original sample. The results highlight a range of issues that may be useful for lecturers when discussing assignments, and instructive for students when writing their assignments.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

<p>The purpose of this research is to survey and describe some science teachers’ conceptions of which assessment criteria they use at the marking process. Questions which are relevant for this research are the following: </p><p>1. Which assessment methods form the basis for science teachers’ marking process? </p><p>2. Which knowledge qualities are assessed and marked by science teachers? </p><p>3. How do science teachers use national curriculum and marking criterions?</p><p>Five qualitative interviews of science teachers were performed. The interview material was analyzed by a phenomenographical analysis method. </p><p>The result from the first problem consists of the descriptive categories: <i>Science methodology</i> and <i>Oral and written use of language</i>. </p><p>The result from the second problem consists of the descriptive categories: T<i>he students´ ability to use science knowledge in different contexts</i>, <i>The students´ ability to use science vocabulary</i>, <i>The students´ ability to develop science knowledge</i>, and <i>The students´ behavior</i>. </p><p>The result from the third problem consists of the descriptive categories: As a support in the marking process, <i>As a material for discussion</i>, and <i>As a way to communicate objects to students</i>.</p> / <p>Undersökningens syfte är att kartlägga och beskriva några NO-lärares uppfattningar om vilka bedömningskriterier de använder vid betygssättning. Frågor som är relevanta för den här undersökningen är följande: </p><p>1. Vilka bedömningsformer utgör underlag för NO-lärares betygssättning?</p><p>2. Vilka kunskapskvaliteter bedömer och betygssätter NO-lärare? </p><p>3. Hur använder NO-lärare nationella kursplaner och betygskriterier?</p><p>Fem kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med NO-lärare. Intervjumaterialet analyserades med en fenomenografisk analysmetod. </p><p>Resultatet av den första frågeställningen består av beskrivningskategorierna: <i>Det naturvetenskapliga arbetssättet </i>och <i>Muntlig och skriftlig språkanvändning</i>. </p><p>Resultatet av den andra frågeställningen består av beskrivningskategorierna: <i>Elevens förmåga att använda den naturvetenskapliga kunskapen i olika sammanhang</i>, <i>Elevens förmåga att använda det naturvetenskapliga språket,</i> <i>Elevens förmåga att utveckla sin naturvetenskapliga kunskap</i> och <i>Elevens beteende</i>. </p><p>Resultatet i den tredje frågeställningen består av beskrivningskategorierna: Som ett stöd för betygssättningen, Som ett diskussionsunderlag och <i>Som ett sätt att förmedla målen till eleverna</i>. </p>

The purpose of this research is to survey and describe some science teachers’ conceptions of which assessment criteria they use at the marking process. Questions which are relevant for this research are the following: 1. Which assessment methods form the basis for science teachers’ marking process? 2. Which knowledge qualities are assessed and marked by science teachers? 3. How do science teachers use national curriculum and marking criterions? Five qualitative interviews of science teachers were performed. The interview material was analyzed by a phenomenographical analysis method. The result from the first problem consists of the descriptive categories: Science methodology and Oral and written use of language. The result from the second problem consists of the descriptive categories: The students´ ability to use science knowledge in different contexts, The students´ ability to use science vocabulary, The students´ ability to develop science knowledge, and The students´ behavior. The result from the third problem consists of the descriptive categories: As a support in the marking process, As a material for discussion, and As a way to communicate objects to students. / Undersökningens syfte är att kartlägga och beskriva några NO-lärares uppfattningar om vilka bedömningskriterier de använder vid betygssättning. Frågor som är relevanta för den här undersökningen är följande: 1. Vilka bedömningsformer utgör underlag för NO-lärares betygssättning? 2. Vilka kunskapskvaliteter bedömer och betygssätter NO-lärare? 3. Hur använder NO-lärare nationella kursplaner och betygskriterier? Fem kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med NO-lärare. Intervjumaterialet analyserades med en fenomenografisk analysmetod. Resultatet av den första frågeställningen består av beskrivningskategorierna: Det naturvetenskapliga arbetssättet och Muntlig och skriftlig språkanvändning. Resultatet av den andra frågeställningen består av beskrivningskategorierna: Elevens förmåga att använda den naturvetenskapliga kunskapen i olika sammanhang, Elevens förmåga att använda det naturvetenskapliga språket, Elevens förmåga att utveckla sin naturvetenskapliga kunskap och Elevens beteende. Resultatet i den tredje frågeställningen består av beskrivningskategorierna: Som ett stöd för betygssättningen, Som ett diskussionsunderlag och Som ett sätt att förmedla målen till eleverna.

This thesis investigates the function of number marking in Persian, within the framework of principles and parameters (P&P), and its relationship to inflectional and derivational number marking. Following the assumption in Distributed Morphology that inflectional and derivational morphology are not distinct, the distribution and properties of number marking in Persian provide evidence for both inflectional and derivational number marking. Assuming the two parameters of number marking (Wiltschko, 2007, 2008), number marking as a functional head and number marking as a modifier, I propose that number marking in Persian is mainly inflectional while number functions as a functional head; moreover, I propose that number marking in Persian can be derivational while number functions as a modifier. This explains that number morphology in Persian is not split to either inflectional or derivational. Rather, following Booij’s (1993, 1995) claim that inflectional morphology can be used contextually as well as inherently, I propose that number morphology in Persian is inflectional while number is a functional head; however, it has inherent residues as a modifier. Considering the functions of inflectional plural morphology in Persian, I argue that the functional category Number Phrase (NumP) is projected in Persian, and number is generated in the head of this functional category. Besides, Persian is a classifier language in which classifiers are in complementary distribution with plural marking. Following Borer’s (2005) discussion of the complementary distribution of plural marking and classifiers in Armenian, I argue that the head of NumP in Persian is either occupied by the plural maker or by full/empty classifiers. Moreover, I show that the presence of bare singulars/plurals in certain syntactic positions in Persian is related to the projection/non-projection of NumP.

This thesis investigates the function of number marking in Persian, within the framework of principles and parameters (P&P), and its relationship to inflectional and derivational number marking. Following the assumption in Distributed Morphology that inflectional and derivational morphology are not distinct, the distribution and properties of number marking in Persian provide evidence for both inflectional and derivational number marking. Assuming the two parameters of number marking (Wiltschko, 2007, 2008), number marking as a functional head and number marking as a modifier, I propose that number marking in Persian is mainly inflectional while number functions as a functional head; moreover, I propose that number marking in Persian can be derivational while number functions as a modifier. This explains that number morphology in Persian is not split to either inflectional or derivational. Rather, following Booij’s (1993, 1995) claim that inflectional morphology can be used contextually as well as inherently, I propose that number morphology in Persian is inflectional while number is a functional head; however, it has inherent residues as a modifier. Considering the functions of inflectional plural morphology in Persian, I argue that the functional category Number Phrase (NumP) is projected in Persian, and number is generated in the head of this functional category. Besides, Persian is a classifier language in which classifiers are in complementary distribution with plural marking. Following Borer’s (2005) discussion of the complementary distribution of plural marking and classifiers in Armenian, I argue that the head of NumP in Persian is either occupied by the plural maker or by full/empty classifiers. Moreover, I show that the presence of bare singulars/plurals in certain syntactic positions in Persian is related to the projection/non-projection of NumP.

This thesis investigates the function of number marking in Persian, within the framework of principles and parameters (P&P), and its relationship to inflectional and derivational number marking. Following the assumption in Distributed Morphology that inflectional and derivational morphology are not distinct, the distribution and properties of number marking in Persian provide evidence for both inflectional and derivational number marking. Assuming the two parameters of number marking (Wiltschko, 2007, 2008), number marking as a functional head and number marking as a modifier, I propose that number marking in Persian is mainly inflectional while number functions as a functional head; moreover, I propose that number marking in Persian can be derivational while number functions as a modifier. This explains that number morphology in Persian is not split to either inflectional or derivational. Rather, following Booij’s (1993, 1995) claim that inflectional morphology can be used contextually as well as inherently, I propose that number morphology in Persian is inflectional while number is a functional head; however, it has inherent residues as a modifier. Considering the functions of inflectional plural morphology in Persian, I argue that the functional category Number Phrase (NumP) is projected in Persian, and number is generated in the head of this functional category. Besides, Persian is a classifier language in which classifiers are in complementary distribution with plural marking. Following Borer’s (2005) discussion of the complementary distribution of plural marking and classifiers in Armenian, I argue that the head of NumP in Persian is either occupied by the plural maker or by full/empty classifiers. Moreover, I show that the presence of bare singulars/plurals in certain syntactic positions in Persian is related to the projection/non-projection of NumP.

There has recently been an increased emphasis on the importance of learning programming languages, not only in higher education but also in secondary schools. Students of a variety of departments such as physics, mathematics and engineering have also started learning programming languages as part of their academic courses. Assessment of students programming solutions is therefore important for developing their programming skills. Many Computer Based Assessment (CBA) systems utilise multiple-choice questions (MCQ) to evaluate students performance. However, MCQs lack the ability to comprehensively assess students knowledge. Thus, other forms of programming solutions are required to assess students knowledge. This research aims to develop a semi-automated assessment framework for novice programmers, utilising a computer to support the marking process. The research also focuses on ensuring the consistency of feedback. A novel marking process model is developed based on the semi-automated assessment approach which supports a new way of marking, termed segmented marking . A study is carried out to investigate and demonstrate the feasibility of the segmented marking technique. In addition, the new marking process model is developed based on the results of the feasibility study, and two novel marking process models are presented based on segmented marking, namely the full-marking and partial-marking process models. The Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) cycle is adopted in the marking process models in order to ensure the consistency of feedback. User interfaces of the prototype marking tools (full and partial) are designed and developed based on the marking process models and the user interface design requirements. The experimental results show that the full and partial marking techniques are feasible for use in formative assessment. Furthermore, the results also highlight that the tools are capable of providing consistent and personalised feedback and that they considerably reduce markers workload.

This master thesis reports on potentially useful applications for “The social layer concept”, consisting of a combination of telephone-based health advice-giving and dynamic marking of shared web pages, with the aim to contribute to the online health counselling domain. An experimental user study was performed to test a web marking tool prototype. The experimental tool was shown to be useful in helping clients focus on relevant health information and dynamic web marking does provide a useful and complementary service to telephone-based advice-giving. It was considered most useful for complex health advice-giving issues.