Inside Exams - S2 EP7 - Mythbusting marking

Oct 20, 2026

AQA’s “Inside Exams” podcast episode challenges six common misconceptions about how exam scripts are handled after students sit their exams and before Results Day. It explains marking rules on writing within question borders, using pencil or non-black ink, how additional pages are treated, the training and quality assurance processes for examiners, what happens when students omit names, and how scripts are allocated—often through online marking and splitting work among different examiners.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Mythbusting marking

Border and handwriting rules

Ink and additional pages

Examiner training and marking quality

Names on exam papers

How scripts are allocated

Mythbusting marking What happens to exam papers in the period between students sitting their exams and Results Day is often misunderstood. See below for the truth behind some of our most common marking myths. | 1 | Myth: If students write outside the borders of a question paper, it won’t get marked. | The truth: Students should write inside script so that their paper can be marked scanners can only detect what is inside have written outside the lines, the scrip and instead marked physically, meaning | the designated border on an exam quickly and efficiently, as our
the border. But, if we see that students t will be taken out of online marking the student can get all due credit. | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2 | Myth: If students write in pencil or in a colour other than black, their work won’t get marked. | The truth: Students are advised to writ because our scanners pick this up more the writing or even handwriting is at all marking and marked physically. | e in black ink or a black ball-point pen effectively. But again, if the colour of unclear, the script is taken out of online | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 3 | Myth: Additional pages are always marked by senior examiners. | The truth: Some people think that usinsure the work is marked by our most seare almost entirely marked online along are distributed evenly amongst examiners, quality controls. | g additional pages is a way to make nior examiners, but additional pages with the corresponding scripts and
who are all subject to the same | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 4 | Myth: Examiners start marking without any training. | The truth: Examiners must pass training our podcast episode on standardisation subject to a number of quality assurance include double marking, where two exa make sure there is a consensus, and ‘se mark and exist to ensure marking stays | before they can mark. Listen toto find out more. Examiners are also
processes during marking. These miners will mark the same response toeds’, which already have a pre-agreed consistent across all examiners. | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 5 | Myth: If a student doesn’t write their name on a paper, they will automatically get zero marks. | The truth: Although students should in as instructed, we investigate all blank o Sometimes students use nicknames or students is ‘pirates’), so we also have p with the correct students. | clude their full details on exam papers r incomplete details on exam papers. alternative names (our term for these rocesses to reconcile these papers | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 6 | Myth: Exam papers get sent to an examiner’s house and that examiner will mark the whole script. | The truth: Only a small minority of exam an examiner. Approximately 85% of our were marked online – and, in most cases, individual questions and marked by a n | papers will be sent out physically to subject components in summer 2019
those scripts are broken down into umber of different examiners. | | --- | --- | --- | --- | Inside Exams Podcast series Copyright © 2020 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. G02073u_01

FAQs

Why can’t exam papers be marked if students write outside the question borders?

Students should write inside the designated border so marking scanners can detect what is inside the lines. If writing falls outside, it may need different handling, though credited outcomes can still be secured if the script is taken out of online marking.

What happens if students use pencil or a color other than black?

Students are advised to use black ink or a black ball-point pen, because scanners and marking processes rely on detectable handwriting and script details. Non-black or unclear writing can trigger physical handling and different marking paths.

Do examiners start marking without training?

No. Examiners must pass training on standardisation, and quality assurance includes processes such as double marking and consensus checks to keep marking consistent across examiners.

Oct 20, 2026

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