Other Descriptors
A grade descriptor is a broad verbal statement about the general standard to be applied with a qualitative description of each grade1. There are typically three categories of grade descriptors in a university:
- Institutional Level Grade Descriptors
- Programme Level Grade Descriptors
- Course Level Grade Descriptors
PolyU currently adopts the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) as an institutional strategy to enhance and assure the quality of programmes and outcomes.The university also adopts the criterion-referenced grading system for all assessment. An Insitutional Level Subject Grade Descriptor (ILSGD) has been established to guide the marking process and clarify expectations for students. The standards to be achieved for each grade should be well aligned between the ILSGD with other levels of grade descriptors and rubrics to ensure grading integrity. Departments may consider developing programme and/or course level grade descriptors to facilitate the alignment of standards between the institutional level and individual discipline level.
When developing your course level grade descriptors, the expectations of student achieving particular grades should be described. The university policy mandates that rubrics must be specified for all ‘major’ assessment items [or components/ tasks] at the subject level, made available to students before the assessment, and used for grading the assessment. The rubrics for assessment items should be aligned with the institutional/programme/course level grade descriptors. The marking rubric for each assessment item need not include all aspects of the grade descriptor. Depending on the structure of examination adopted, some assessment items may be applicable to the higher level grade descriptor (short questions/essay) and some to lower level grade descriptors (MCQs).
Reference
1Prosser, M. (2018). Grade Descriptors and Standards. https://www.polyu.edu.hk/wgsqa/images/content/WGSQA_Developing-Subject-Assessment-Rubrics-in-alignment-with-grade-descriptors_ppt.pdf
