All our class assignments (Exam, Tests and Quizzes) are graded using Crowdmark. What you should know to make grading as smooth as possible ^1 Here is a brief desription how CrowdMark works:
Each student should use exactly one booklet. If you ran out of space because you wasted too much space, you may be given another booklet where you will need to transfer everything from the original booklet which will be then destroyed. No extra time will be provided.
After we collect your papers we sort them by booklet numbers. While not necessary, it is useful if something does not work and we need to access the hard copy of your paper. We ask you to record your booklet number and keep it^2; again, it helps us to find a hard copy or a digital copy if it is misattributed. In Tests and Final Exam we recod your booklet numbers by ourselves but in Quizzes we cannot do this.
Next we remove staples (actually cut corners).
Then we scan papers. It is black-white scan and it is done automatically; we cannot adjust scanner settings for individual pages or booklets. To provide quality scan: use only black or dark-blue pen or sharp ordinary pencil (with "HB" or "B" marking. Do not use mechanical pencils and have 5 sharp pencils for each hour of the test or exam. Also, leave at least 0.5 cm left and right margins and 1 cm bottom margin.
After this we upload scans to Crowdmark server. This server uses QR-code on the top of each page. Do not write near QR-code. If Server cannot read QR-code it reports an error in which case we manually input text code which is near QR-code. Do not write near text code. If there is no code Server reports an error. Do not submit any page without QR-code. In particular, do not submit Allowed Aids sheets, if those are provided. Then Server assembles pages into booklets. If Server detects some pages are missing it reports an error, in which case we rescan missing pages and upload them again. You must submit all pages with QR-code.
Then the Server OCRs the form you filled on the front page (OCR:
Optical Caracter recognition), in other words it reads them and
looking in the Student list, it attributes each booklet. If the
Server cannot identify you, it reports an error and then we manually
look at the front page and identify you manually. This is why you
must to fill each front page neatly so the Server would not be
confused. Since the server identifies you by your email, those
whose emails are not firstname.lastname@mail.utoronto.ca should be
especially concerned and fill email field on the front page. If
the Server misattributes the Booklet, it does not report an error.
Next, graders grade your papers on computer screens. They provide marks ✔, ✖, ? (correct, wrong, questionable), sometimes underline or encircle, and text comments (which can contain mathematical snippets). If Grader cannot read a part of your solution, this part is neither graded, nor credited and appeals "Oh, its illegible but I meant ..." are rejected out of hand. Usually for each question two pages are allocated. If you need to use Extra Page you need to write on the allocated page the final answer and "See page ..." and on the extra page "Question ...".
After grading is complete, we export marks to Quercus and ask Server to send you email with the access link to your paper, so you can see marks for each Question and all Grader\'s marks and comments. We also make an announcement via Quercus "Assesment ... has been graded. See your marks on Crowdmark and Quercus. Deadline for appeals ...".
When you receive your email from Crowdmark, please look at your paper. Even if you got a full mark, comments may point out minor errors and some ways to improve your work.
If you decide to appeal the mark in Test or Quiz please send email to the Class Coordinator, listing in the Subject like "MAT334, Test 1, Booklet # 134, appeal". Start each question you appeal from the new line and explain the reasons ("I worked so hard\ ...", "I made a small error but demonstrated a clear understanding of the ideas" are not valid reasons). Remember to read all comments before appealing. Please respect deadlines; appeals submitted after deafdline are accepted only in exceptional cases. Also remember that according to the University rules, regrading Question may not only increase but also decrease the mark. Please, do not attach any screenshots. Class Coordinator considers you appeal, changes you mark (or does not change it) and leaves his own marks (usually of the different color) and comments directly on Crowdmark.
Please check then you mark on Quercus. Sometimes (usually at the very beginning of Semester if you enrolled in class lately, export does not work as intended. In this case just send email to the Class Coordinator: "MAT334, Test 1, Booklet # 134, mark not on Quercus" (in case it is on Crowdmark). Again, no screenshots. Then your mark will be put on Quercus manually. You need to respect a deadline.
You receive an Announcement, but not an email from Crowdmark. This could mean two things:
a. Email message from Crowdmark got lost. b. Your booklet was misattributed.
Usually in the former case you have your mark on Quercus, but in the latter no mark on Quercus. Please send email to Class Coordinator "MAT244, Test 1, Booklet # 134, Cannot access Crowdmark". In the case (a) even if you forgot Booklet number, we can find you by your email address, simply it takes a bit longer. Then we send you the Crowdmark link. In the case (b) we really need to know you Booklet Number. This is why we request you to record your booklet number^3. Otherwise finding you would mean manually looking through all booklets which takes a lot of time and is an error prone (sorry, we do not have time for this). You need to report such problem ASAP, and definitely not after a deadline. After your booklet is found, your mark will be put on Quercus manually and you will receive email with a Crowdmark link. Deadline to appeal will be extended only in exceptional cases.
Why should you care? Because you want to get your marks back fast, you do not want your work to be lost or misattributed (when the credit is given to someone else). ↩
In our class this number is repeated by large digits on the top-left of the first page of the Booklet. ↩
Recording the booklet number is always a good idea. ↩