How grade boundaries are calculated in CIE o'level ??

[sabasi]

Explanation with example would be very helpful..........

 

[Tharindu]

What are the percentages for each grade at Cambridge O Level?

The process of grading in Cambridge O Level involves deciding the minimum mark necessary for each grade. We do not have predetermined thresholds (or quotas of candidates). After each examination series we decide the minimum marks for each threshold (grade boundaries) for each individual component. We carry out this process in order to ensure that the demands on the candidates are the same for every subject and every examination series. We are therefore unable to provide a general list of percentages required for each grade.

 

[pakiboy]

each component u mean each paper like paper 1 and paper 2 will have different thresholds so how will be the over all grade calculated in that subject!!!!!

 

[Tharindu]

....if this years maths papers is harder than the last years...they will make sure that the difficulty to get the grade is the same...yes it's for each subject and variant but not separately for paper 1 and paper 2...I mean the percentage out of 100%....for example, if this years paper is easier than last year and let's say that last years min mark for A* was 85...this year it myt be 90%

 

[sabasi]

....if this years maths papers is harder than the last years...they will make sure that the difficulty to get the grade is the same...yes it's for each subject and variant but not separately for paper 1 and paper 2...I mean the percentage out of 100%....for example, if this years paper is easier than last year and let's say that last years min mark for A* was 85...this year it myt be 90%

Can you explain it with an example ?

 

[Tharindu]

Ive explained with an example...if u want tell me your prob...ur situation then il explain accordingly

 

[sabasi]

Ive explained with an example...if u want tell me your prob...ur situation then il explain accordingly

For example in one subject like add-maths in p-1 max score is 70 of 80 and min is 20 and p-2 max is 60 of 80 and min is 25 then how grade boundaries will be calculated ??
And another question is will the grade boundary be the average of the all students or just the max scorer and min scorer

 

[Doosh Bag]

How can the percentage for an A ever rise from 80%. That seems unfair when they clearly state minimum is 80%, you could understand it decreasing but how does it increase ???

 

[UziB]

Well its really confusing, but it goes a little something like this.
First they compare the paper with last year's paper, if it was harder this year than last year, they set low mark boundaries for each grade, if it was easier this year than last year, then they increase the mark boundaries for each grade. e.g if last year's paper was easy, and this years paper was hard, they may drop the mark boundary for an A* in theory from 68/75 to 66/75. This is known as threshold indicator 1.
Once the grade boundaries are set, they check the average percentage of candidates who obtained an A*, say for e.g 12% of the total students obtained A*s. Then they check the average marks on which the 12% of the students obtained A*s for e.g if the average marks turn out to be 65/75, then the percentile drops further and 65/75 is set as the minimum passing mark required for an A* rather than 66/75. This is indicator 2.
Now I don't know how many indicators there are, but at the end they average the results of all indicators, recheck many times and distribute the grades according to them.

 

[Tharindu]

Well its really confusing, but it goes a little something like this.
First they compare the paper with last year's paper, if it was harder this year than last year, they set low mark boundaries for each grade, if it was easier this year than last year, then they increase the mark boundaries for each grade. e.g if last year's paper was easy, and this years paper was hard, they may drop the mark boundary for an A* in theory from 68/75 to 66/75. This is known as threshold indicator 1.
Once the grade boundaries are set, they check the average percentage of candidates who obtained an A*, say for e.g 12% of the total students obtained A*s. Then they check the average marks on which the 12% of the students obtained A*s for e.g if the average marks turn out to be 65/75, then the percentile drops further and 65/75 is set as the minimum passing mark required for an A* rather than 66/75. This is indicator 2.
Now I don't know how many indicators there are, but at the end they average the results of all indicators, recheck many times and distribute the grades according to them.

Love your caption...totally true my friend

 

[sabasi]

Well its really confusing, but it goes a little something like this.
First they compare the paper with last year's paper, if it was harder this year than last year, they set low mark boundaries for each grade, if it was easier this year than last year, then they increase the mark boundaries for each grade. e.g if last year's paper was easy, and this years paper was hard, they may drop the mark boundary for an A* in theory from 68/75 to 66/75. This is known as threshold indicator 1.
Once the grade boundaries are set, they check the average percentage of candidates who obtained an A*, say for e.g 12% of the total students obtained A*s. Then they check the average marks on which the 12% of the students obtained A*s for e.g if the average marks turn out to be 65/75, then the percentile drops further and 65/75 is set as the minimum passing mark required for an A* rather than 66/75. This is indicator 2.
Now I don't know how many indicators there are, but at the end they average the results of all indicators, recheck many times and distribute the grades according to them.

thanks man.........

 

[Xerath]

Im confused...tell me if im wrong, so meaning to say that the grading boundaries is according to other candidate's mark and depending on these marks, the grading boundaries will become lower or higher?

 

[Shihaab Meerun]

Are there any grade thresholds for past papers of o level ??

 

[CaptainDanger]

Are there any grade thresholds for past papers of o level ??

No. CIE doesn't publish them for O levels.

 

[altox876]

Are there any grade thresholds for past papers of o level ??

CIE don't publish for O levels but they actually did once for Pakistan Studies. Check page 2

http://www.xtremepapers.com/papers/CIE/Cambridge International O Level/Pakistan Studies (2059)/2059_s04_ms.pdf

How can the percentage for an A ever rise from 80%. That seems unfair when they clearly state minimum is 80%, you could understand it decreasing but how does it increase ???

CIE has never said that as far as I know. If you look at the syllabus of any subject, whether IGCSE, O level or A Level, you'll see that they always say that the minimum mark for A grade is given a percentage uniform mark of 80%. This doesn't mean that a candidate has to achieve over 80% marks for an A.

 

[forbidden rose]

So damn scared for tomorrow

 

[Hellgiver]

Let me really tell you how it's actually done: The mean of all the candidates' marks is calculated and then the standard deviation is calculated. An A is basically the mean plus 1 standard deviation. The rest of the grades (below A) are calculated on the basis of quartiles(with the assumption that the data is approximately normally distributed). An A* is one division above the A with a difference which is the same as between an A and a B. And FYI, contrary to what many people believe nowadays, a pre A* era A is still equivalent to an A of today (I've read all the ms, gt, er and done my research and if you still don't believe me then ask the HEC which gives out the equivalence certificates; the percentage they used to award As of the pre A* era is still the SAME for the As of today. Now as it stands the percentages HEC awards to different grades is as follows,: A* 90%, A 85%, B 75%, C 65% and so on with a progressive decrease of 10%. The total marks they'll give you is the average of the percentages you'll get)