Objective assessment denotes a system of allocating marks according to a clearly quantifiable mark scheme. While a lot of listening and reading tests lend themselves to numerical marking (eg one mark for each correct element of an answer), speaking and writing tasks are notoriously difficult to quantify in such a clear, objective manner. That is why assessment schemes for these tasks usually rely on written criteria and descriptors of expected performance at different levels, against which students' work is matched. Criticisms of this approach include, above all, the charge that it involves too much subjectivity, as individual tutors are likely to interpret expressions such as 'acceptable level of fluency', 'a high degree of accuracy', or 'extensive coverage of the topic' in their own way, based on their preconceptions of these terms and their expectations for work at a given level.

Some tutors consequently prefer to employ more objective approaches to marking the productive skills, especially free-writing tasks such as essays.

Activity 9

There are a number of different approaches here but most involve some form of error quotient to assess accuracy and command of the language. I asked four tutors to describe their approach to objective marking of essays. Their responses are presented as the four models next.