Markers compare? (1 Viewer)

[sansan]

From the day i chose this subject, i knew that it can be very subjective and because of this, it may effect your results.
But i really want to know, exactly how do HSC markers mark your BOW?
At my school, the art staff give ur work an assessment mark out of 50 and a rank. And they do so by more or less COMPARING the artworks as they marked one after another while every single one was on display.
For one thing, i can't understand how they can possibly compare artworks of a completely different media... like say digital media and drawings or something
Ok fine... they compare alright. But what sort of criteria do they follow? Do they even analyse the techniques used, the skill u've shown and the way u developed ur consept and all that??? Cos it seems to me that they only based it on the actual SIZE in my school.... like some pictures found on the net were edited on photoshop in a couple of hours n then printed out on giant A1 boards (new photoshop user's last minute work) would get a higher mark than someone who who spent the whole year on really detailed sketches of people (i mean really PEOPLE) and architectural buildings (and i mean Architechtral) on relatively smaller pieces of paper. like WTF?
Seriously..... what is the marking criteria like for actual HSC marking?
Do they compare with other artworks? Is something thats BIGGER necessarily better than a smaller piece?
i think i've totally lost it.... i'm so confused n lost n pissed off that i couldnt help but think that art is cruel

 

[RainbowBrite]

NOTE: This is my individual understanding of the HSC marking system for our artworks. It may not be exactly right, but its my understanding of the system.




I think, from what I understand about the HSC markers, your teachers have been going at it a bit...differently. My teachers do their best to imitate what the real HSC markers would do and often go over what the actual HSZ markers would do, so I think I have some idea...

They compare your artwork to other artworks in the SAME CATEGORY across the whole NSW HSC. Categories include things such a Designed Objects and Environment, Collection of Works, Photography, Drawing etc. They have past examples from last year on what got a high Band 6 and a low band 6 and all that, and its a basic structure to organise where your artwork sits. When the (3) markers get to an artwork, they each mark it individually and if there is too much variance between the opinioned marks, they call for you Visual Arts Progress Diary. Depending on the quality of your diary, your mark will either go up to the high mark that one of the markers gave your work, or to the lower mark.

They also compare your work to the Marking Criteria as they would in any assessment. To get Band 6 your work must have the following:

• Demonstrates and articulartion of ideas and concepts that are elaborated, reiterated, subtle and sustained coherently in the form(s) of the work. Meanings make significant references and register on a number of levels.
• Displays technical sensitivity, refinement, discrimination, moderation, and is respectful ofthe conditions set by the selection of materials and limitiations including course perceptions.

(taken from the 2001 Marking Criteria for the Board of Studies. May have been adjusted a little. You can always check the current syllabus on www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au for the current one if there have been any changes.)

The mark you get for your artwork is out of 50.



Hopefully I'm not completely wrong, but if I am I'm sure someone else will correct me.

Good luck

 

[etc. etc. etc.]

My art teacher used to be second in charge at the marking centre, and so this is roughly what happens (similar to what RainbowBrite said, but I believe there are a few differences)

Firstly, all of the markers are given a rundown of the process by senior markers, and the assistant supervisor and supervisor. Works from different categories are already sorted out into different areas in the centre by ground staff, and a large selection is examined against the draft performance bands, to work out exactly what a band 6 looks like in this category, what a 5 looks like, a 4 etc. All markers are shown this so that have the best idea of what a high band 6 looks like, a low band 3, a mid band 4 etc.

Each artwork is marked by two markers. They will both go over your work and the marking criteria, and come out with a mark out of 50 (a maximum of 25/50 for conceptual strength, and 25/50 for technical resolution). If one marker gives you a combined mark of 48, and the other 46, they will usually settle for a 47 or so, or discuss why they think the work deserves more or less.

In the case that the difference is quite large (say, one gives a 49 and the other a 44) and the markers are not able to come to an agreement, they will consult either a senior marker, the assistant supervisor or the supervisor. Your VAPD may also be called on, if they need help in clarifying your intentions, or they do not think your BOW constitutes a good solid year effort. At the end of the day, whatever the supervisors says, goes.

Your work is only compared against the marking criteria (RainbowBrite included it in her post, and that is the wording still in use). The only time artworks are compared to eachother is when they use samples to show what an artwork in a particular band will look like.

The size of an artwork will only affect your mark when it has something to do with the effort put in. But small artworks don't necessarily mean little work was put into it, and large artworks don't necessarily mean a lot of work was put in. And of course, bigger is not always better anyway. Some people submit huge collections of more than 50 pieces, when almost half of the works could have been cut out and still had the same effect.

The markers at the HSC marking centre are experienced and can tell when a work is strong, or weak - regardless of it's size. There's no need to worry - everyone will get exactly what's owing to them (good, or bad!)

 

[sansan]

Thanks guys, i'm glad that its starting to make some sense on rather approriate ways of marking.... i guess i should just forget about how unprofessional my teachers are and hope that the HSC markers r sincere

Would HSC markers that are experienced in areas like digital media mark works in that category?
or would markers be allocated to random categories?
cos what if that marker knows nothing about photoshop or something...

 

[etc. etc. etc.]

Would HSC markers that are experienced in areas like digital media mark works in that category?

That's generally how it works. This is why each year when the travelling markers go around to certain schools, students with works in particular categories that are less common (Interactives, Designed Objects and Environments etc) are asked to submit their works to the marking centre - to ensure that the markers looking at them have a good understanding of the form

 

[sansan]

omygosh.....
i don't know why but for this year, all our artworks are marked at OUR SCHOOL....
n examiners are coming in to mark them
but i know that every other school is having theirs sent away
what the hell is my bloody school doing?!

 

[luscious-llama]

I was given the mark 49/50 and this was how it was done... very similar to the HSC marking criteria.


Asssessment Criteria



Exploration of Artists Practice /10
Representation of idea in expressive way /10
Development of ideas thorugh subject matter /10
Conceptual strength and resolution /10
Technical Accomplishment of selected media /10

Each section was built up like this

1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10
Minimal | Some | Satisfactory | Good | Excellent

 

[luscious-llama]

omygosh.....
i don't know why but for this year, all our artworks are marked at OUR SCHOOL....
n examiners are coming in to mark them
but i know that every other school is having theirs sent away
what the hell is my bloody school doing?!

Thats okay. That's whats happening at my school.
It's a regional schools thing also
A travelling team of markers comes around. However like Etc etc etc said there are certain forms such as digital media, film and sculpture just to name a few that have to be sent down to the centre.

I think though at that centre there are many works by metropolitan kids that have to be sent there...

 

[biggie walls]

I think thats a little silly how they did yours Llama, cos the HSC one is 25 conceptual, 25 technical... anyway congratulations on a top mark!

 

[biggie walls]

Oh and just a question (etc.etc.etc. your teacher may know?) do we actually get to know our external marks for the BOW?

 

[etc. etc. etc.]

do we actually get to know our external marks for the BOW?

Unfortunately, no. You'll just have to guess by breaking down your final external mark (for example, if you crash and burn in the exam but still get a decent mark, obviously your BOW did quite well)

And getting preselected for ArtExpress is also an indicator of a high mark, although the cut-off mark changes every year, depending on the quality of the cohort.

 

[luscious-llama]

I think thats a little silly how they did yours Llama, cos the HSC one is 25 conceptual, 25 technical... anyway congratulations on a top mark!

Agreed. Ah well

 

[luscious-llama]

I think thats a little silly how they did yours Llama, cos the HSC one is 25 conceptual, 25 technical... anyway congratulations on a top mark!

"Two teams assess each Body of Work by referring to marking guidelines prepared in response to the new Standards Referenced Framework HSC. Guidelines are expressed in terms of the knowledge and skills demanded by the task. The guidelines focus on the conceptual and material practice of the student as represented in their Body of Work.

Samples of work from five 10 mark levels in each media area are established to create visual Schemes with accompanying written comments (derived from markers' comments to a set of questions). Schemes are correlated across the media areas to ensure comparability and consistency. Copies of these Schemes are used to brief all marking teams. Marking teams then assess all the Bodies of Work against the Marking Guidelines and their knowledge of the Marking Scheme i.e. the scales and comments. The whole process takes months to complete."


Source:http://www.pau.nsw.edu.au/TAU/Vis Arts/Art Express/How It Happens.htm

 

[etc. etc. etc.]

Samples of work from five 10 mark levels in each media area are established to create visual Schemes with accompanying written comments (derived from markers' comments to a set of questions). Schemes are correlated across the media areas to ensure comparability and consistency. Copies of these Schemes are used to brief all marking teams. Marking teams then assess all the Bodies of Work against the Marking Guidelines and their knowledge of the Marking Scheme i.e. the scales and comments. The whole process takes months to complete."

Yep, that's exactly what I meant by going through a large selection from each form, to work out what a high 6 looks like, a low 5, a high 3 etc etc etc!

 

[sansan]

i was told that in the category of "collection of work" or wateva its called, that "the person won't get penalised even if images were taken from the internet as long as there are other pieces done by the student" WTF....
BUT! say there were 10 pieces altogether, and only 2 of them were really sloppy oil paintings the student did and the other 8 pieces r just pictures printed off the internet. Then the student would've only contributed 20% of the entire thing?! and all the other pics would have been already fixed professionally by the actual artist/owner of those pictures. Doesn't that sound a bit.... wrong????
Like if that's counted as acceptable, then y don't i just print some davincis and picassos, do a couple of doodles n claim the whole thing as my own? it would just be a matter of choosing the right pics then.... not actually making it?!?!
is there something wrong with my interpretation? cos that is exactly wat that teacher told me......

 

[HinikuTheNinja]

The majority of my class is having ours marked at school. Two of thme have to send them in, though - a Built environment and a digital media one.

The rest of ours stay at school and get marked here.

And I'm in Collection of Works, and every single bit of it is mine =S I hope they dun think I got all my images from other places, cos then I'd get mad.
*grumpyninja*

 

[biggie walls]

ohhhhh thats gay! i really want to know my external... today my art teacher said the artexpress cutoff is 43... but I can see how it would change year to year

 

[etc. etc. etc.]

today my art teacher said the artexpress cutoff is 43... but I can see how it would change year to year

It's not possible to know this years cut-off yet, due to the fact that marking hasn't started, giving them no idea of the standard.

If the standard of this year is very very high, the cut-off will naturally be higher (say, 46), but if the standard is lower, they have to make the cut-off lower so they actually have enough works

 

[luscious-llama]

i was told that in the category of "collection of work" or wateva its called, that "the person won't get penalised even if images were taken from the internet as long as there are other pieces done by the student" WTF....
BUT! say there were 10 pieces altogether, and only 2 of them were really sloppy oil paintings the student did and the other 8 pieces r just pictures printed off the internet. Then the student would've only contributed 20% of the entire thing?! and all the other pics would have been already fixed professionally by the actual artist/owner of those pictures. Doesn't that sound a bit.... wrong????
Like if that's counted as acceptable, then y don't i just print some davincis and picassos, do a couple of doodles n claim the whole thing as my own? it would just be a matter of choosing the right pics then.... not actually making it?!?!
is there something wrong with my interpretation? cos that is exactly wat that teacher told me......

I brought this issue up at the beginning of the year.
Personally if you use any photo from anyone else unless it is uncopyrighted stock images and you've credited it, I will hunt you down and kill you.

A girl did this [with a very well known and respected deviantART photographer from the UK] and got into Art Express , now that i've found this girl's deviantART account i'm tempted to lightly mention the issue, considering she's enamoured with copyright. She didn't even credit the Uk photographer's work, and this UK photographer has had HEAPS of issues with people/companies stealing her work. Jerk.

I think if you use images other than your own unless popularised and well known... then you're evil. It's stealing of course... unless acknowledgement and permissions are given...

You know there's appropriation right? You can appropriate popular images and draw on these as inspiration ... like my boyfriend used Da Vinci's Vitruvian man (redrew the thing half and did his own half robot thing) for his HSC MW...

Hmm yeah... keep discussing this, this is interesting

 

[luscious-llama]

ohhhhh thats gay! i really want to know my external... today my art teacher said the artexpress cutoff is 43... but I can see how it would change year to year

LOL if it is 43, then even my shitty preliminary works would have been able to be selected.

Yes I want my external too !!