Calculate a mark

The formula option allows you to create a mark calculation based on two variables:

• Obtained points: the number of points earned by the participant
• Total points: the total amount of points that a participant can earn for the assignment

There are multiple functions and operators available which can be used and combined to set the formula. An overview with explanation is shown below. It is possible to use parentheses to determine the order of calculation for parts of a formula or partial calculations.

Math operators

Logical functions

Comparison operators

Comparison operators can be used with logical functions, as described above, to determine the behaviour of parts of the formula. For example, when the IF function is used in combination with the comparison operators < and >, it is possible to set different mark calculations for the parts of the calculation above and below the cut-off score. The result of a comparison operator is either true or false.

Numeric functions

The default formula used by Ans is 1 + 9 * Obtained points/Total points. This translates the score into a mark on a scale of 1 to 10.

Use the formula in Ans

If you choose to use the formula in Ans, it is required to fill in the following fields:

• Marking formula
  You can insert your formula here, using the parameters, functions and operators mentioned above. You can also use variables in your marking formula. Please read the following article for an explanation on mark calculation variables.
   

• Rounding
  Grades are stored with three decimal places. After this, the grade is rounded according to the rounding option selected.

  
  For example:
  A calculation might result in a grade of 5.734985....
  Ans stores this as 5.735.
  
  In the dropdown menu, you can choose how the final grade should be rounded. Options include:
  - Two decimals
  - One decimal
  - Halves
  - Whole numbers
  
  By default, points achieved are rounded down, to ensure that students do not overestimate their final grade and potentially file unnecessary objections.
  
  It is important to note that only the points are rounded down by default - not the final grade. The final grade is rounded according to the selected rounding option.

  Standard rounding rules apply:
  Values with 0.5 or higher are rounded up.
  Values below 0.5 are rounded down.

  For example:
  If a student receives a calculated grade of 5.734985.., Ans will store 5.735 and then round it as follows:

  5.74 (rounded to two decimals)
  5.7 (rounded to one decimal)
  6 (rounded to a whole number)

  
  To avoid confusion or unintended rounding differences, we recommend using the same number of decimal places in your formula as selected in the rounding menu. For further clarity, see the examples of mark calculations article.
   

• Limit the lowest mark
  When this checkbox is selected, you can set the lowest mark for the assignment. By default, this is set to 1. If the limit is disabled, participants can receive negative marks. This may happen if participants score negative points on questions or in certain situations where guess correction is enabled.
   

• Limit the highest mark
  When this checkbox is selected, you can set the highest mark for the assignment. By default, this is set to 10. If the limit is disabled, participants may receive marks higher than intended.

  This can happen, for example, if a question is changed to a bonus question or if a participant earns more points for a question than the maximum allowed (if this option is enabled for the question).
  
   

• Pass mark
  The pass mark represents the threshold required to pass the assignment. Participants with a rounded mark below the pass mark are considered to have failed the assignment. This pass mark is also used to determine the pass rate for the assignment.
  
  Note: Always click on Update to save your progress.
   

• Guess correction
  To enable guess correction for the assignment, select the Guess Correction checkbox. This checkbox is only visible if your assignment contains questions where guess correction can be applied.

  Below the Guess Correction checkbox, you have the option to limit the guess correction to zero. This setting is useful for assignments that include both closed-ended and open-ended questions.

  Additionally, you can choose to apply guess correction to answered questions only. When this option is enabled, guess correction will not be applied to unanswered questions.

  More information can be found in the guess correction article.

Option 2: cut-off score (beta)

The cut-off score is a mark calculation method which allows you to set the score required to pass an assignment. Instead of using a formula, you define a cut-off point: students who score at or above this point receive a passing mark, and students who score below it receive a failing mark. The marks are distributed linearly across both ranges, giving you a clear and predictable marks distribution. More information about this mark calculation method can be found here. 

Option 3: mark calculation with a table

The third option in the dropdown menu is the table. There are two different possibilities to insert a table in Ans. The first option is to manually insert or import a table, the second option is to let Ans create a table based on the cut-off score.

Table option 1: manually create a table

The first option is to manually create a table by either adding each row manually or by importing a table with a .csv file. After selecting 'Table' from the dropdown menu, you will see the following options:

• Rounding
  In the dropdown menu 'Rounding', you can choose the desired rounding of the mark. Options include round to two decimals, round to one decimal, round to halves, or round to whole numbers. A table always rounds down. Each row in the table represents a threshold. A participant must score the number of points in a row to receive the corresponding mark. In the screenshot below, a participant who has received 2.5 points will receive a mark of 2.0, as the required number of points for the next row has not been scored.
   
• Import
  This option allows you to import a table created outside of Ans. A table can be imported using a .csv file, which must at least contain the columns 'Points' and 'Marks'. Additionally, you can include a letter grade as a third column. A template can be downloaded by clicking on the Import button.
   
• Export
  If you wish to reuse the table for other assignments, you can export it. This button will be greyed out if a table has not yet been created.
   
• Add row
  To add a row manually, click the Add row button and insert the number of points with the corresponding mark. Optionally you can add a letter grade, such as "sufficient" or "insufficient". To edit or delete a row, you can click the more_vert- icon.
   
• Determine cut-off score
  This is an alternative way to create a table, as described below.

Note: If you only enter one row into the table, every result will receive the same mark. For example, if you enter a single row where the number of points is set to 5 with a mark of 5.5, all participants will receive a mark of 5.5, regardless of the number of points they achieve. To differentiate, you must include at least two rows in your table.

Table option 2: automatically generate a table (closed beta)

error_outline At this moment, this option is only available through the closed beta.

When grading with a table, you have the option to determine the grading of the results using the cut-off score. By determining the minimum grade, pass grade, maximum grade, maximum points and cut-off percentage, you can create a grading table that supports a cut-off score. To start, click Determine cut-off score to start.

If you wish to edit an existing table, you can also click this button. The previously entered information will be displayed, which can be adjusted as needed.

In the dialog that opens, you can enter the following information:

• Minimum mark
  The minimum mark is the mark a participant receives when scoring the minimum amount of points.
   
• Pass mark
  The pass mark is the mark which counts as the threshold of passing the assignment. All participants with a rounded mark lower than the pass mark did not pass the assignment. This information is used to determine the pass rate for the assignment.
   
• Maximum mark
  The maximum mark is the mark a participant receives when scoring the maximum amount of points.
   
• Minimum points
  The number of points a participant needs to score to receive the minimum mark.
   
• Maximum points
  The number of points a participant needs to score to receive the maximum mark. Ans shows the maximum amount of points that can be scored for the assignment. Ans also provides information that can be used to apply the caesura method of Cohen-Schotanus*. Based on this method you adjust the maximum score for an assignment after taking the assignment. The new maximum score is then equalled by the score of either the 95th or 90th percentile. 
   
• Cut-off (%)
  In this field, you fill in the score (in percentage) that equals the pass mark. As an example, we take an assignment with a maximum amount of points of 100 points, a pass mark of 5.5 and a cut-off of 70%. In this scenario a participant needs to score at least 70% of 100 points (= 70 points) to receive a 5.5. This would create a non-linear caesura. 
   
• Mark rounding
  The mark rounding needs to be determined in this menu, as Ans (re)calculates the table once you click Save. You have the option to set the mark rounding to whole numbers, halves or one decimal.

To find more information on how to apply the guess correction within the table mark calculation, please view the guess correction article. 

Option 4: none

The fourth option in the dropdown menu is None. Selecting this option means no mark calculation will be applied, and the score will not be converted into a mark. Consequently, the mark will not appear in other parts of the platform where it would typically be displayed when using the formula or table methods. Examples include the Results menu and the assignment publication.

There are differences between using the table and the formula as methods for mark calculation. Some situations are better suited to the table, while others are more suited for the formula. This section of the article explains these scenarios.

• Randomised assignments
  For randomised assignments, the formula is generally the best method for calculating scores. Since each participant may receive different questions, the guess score for an assignment can vary for each participant. Additionally, the maximum number of points may differ between participants. The formula uses the variable total to represent the maximum points for each participant, allowing it to account for these variations. Furthermore, the guess correction is calculated individually for each participant by enabling the checkbox.
   
• Rounding off the mark
  The guess correction can be applied to both the table and formula methods. However, enabling guess correction is simpler for the formula; you just need to use the checkbox. For the table, you must enter either an adjusted minimum point value or an adjusted cut-off percentage.
   
• Guess correction
  The guess correction can be used for both the table and the formula method. However, for the formula, it's easy to turn the guess correction on. This is done by using the checkbox. For the table, you will need to enter either an adjusted lowest amount of points or an adjusted cut-off percentage.