Let students review marked exam scripts, says thinktank

Few UK universities allow undergraduates to access their marked exam scripts, according to research that warns that a lack of transparency is harming student learning.

The report, published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) on 21 November, found that changes to legislation and assessment practice over time have led to a “potentially confusing patchwork of regulations” across universities.

Researchers found that 52 per cent of Universities UK members have a published policy on students’ access to exam scripts, and 79 per cent of Russell Group institutions do.

The report reveals significant variation in internal practices – with a few departments allowing students full access, others limited access, and some none at all. And while some universities permit all students to view their script under controlled conditions, others allow them to make copies of their scripts for personal use or to share with others.

Of the 105 institutions to publish policies, only 34 per cent give students the right to view their marked scripts. A further 19 per cent expressly prohibit it, and 47 per cent leave the decision up to schools and faculties.

According to senior university staff interviewed for the report, many institutions do not allow access because they believe students would not benefit from the limited feedback, they are concerned about large administrative costs and security around the exam process, and there is a tendency for university policies to be “anchored to historic practice”.

Rohan Selva-Radov, author of the report, said the findings revealed a pressing need for greater transparency and consistency from universities in how they approach the issue.

“As expectations of higher education institutions continue to evolve, it’s crucial that assessment practices keep pace, fostering a culture of openness and continuous improvement,” he said.

He also said many of the senior university staff interviewed saw new technologies as a way of mitigating universities’ concerns – a move towards online exams, for example, could allow for greater use of automated feedback.

A lack of access to exam scripts reduces students’ ability to gain feedback and learn, particularly as it becomes more common for students to have assessments throughout their course rather than as a single set of final exams, according to the report.

Hepi says such opacity also undermines confidence in the assessment system and creates a wider perception of marking as an “unreliable black box”.

The report warns that school exam boards – at GCSE and A level – are much further ahead in offering access to scripts, and have reported positive outcomes for learners, teachers and their organisations.

Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said: “The issue of transparency in exams is not discussed within higher education as much as we believe it should be. It is one area where the higher education sector seems to have fallen some way behind schools.”

The findings should be a “wake-up call” for institutions to reconsider their practices and for policymakers to consider if clearer guidance is needed, he added.

The report calls for all universities to publish a policy outlining their approach to student access to exam scripts, with the default position being full access.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com