Assessing anonymous marks

Anonymous marking, as an essential part of an equal opportunities policy in universities and colleges, will assist in ensuring the non-discriminatory fair treatment of all students within the assessment and examining process. Andrew Pakes is right to draw attention to the need for anonymous marking systems to be across the board.

Joint collaboration between the NUS and the Association of University Teachers to implement anonymous marking comprehensively was initiated in 1994. At that time, a call was made for the necessary staff resources, time and training to be made available. It is not just principles at stake, but the wherewithal to put them into practice. It is indeed timely to put this important issue back at the top of the agenda.

Chris Banister National president Association of University Teachers