> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://synap.ac/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://synap.ac/docs/platform/exams/grading-and-scoring.md).

# Grading and scoring

Scoring decides how many marks an answer earns. Grading turns the final percentage into a grade or pass/fail outcome. Results settings decide when and how students see that outcome. These areas work together, so check them as a complete journey before registering students.

### Decide what counts as success

Start by deciding what a student must achieve. If they need to pass every subject area, an overall pass mark may not be enough and you may need section grades. If you do not want to discourage guessing, leave penalties turned off.

Test calculated examples that include partial marks, penalties and rounding. The most important cases are exactly on each grade threshold and the smallest possible value immediately below it.

### Scoring defaults

| Setting                      | What it does                               | What to check                                                                 |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Credits per question         | Default marks for a correct answer         | Question-specific marks may still differ; check the calculated maximum        |
| Partial credits per question | Marks for a partially correct answer       | Confirm which question types can produce partial credit                       |
| Enable penalties             | Turns on negative marking                  | Communicate this clearly before the exam                                      |
| Penalty per incorrect answer | Marks deducted for each incorrect response | Test whether unanswered responses are treated differently from incorrect ones |

{% hint style="warning" %}
Negative marking changes candidate strategy. If it is enabled, state the rule in pre-exam instructions and validate sample totals, including whether a raw mark can fall below zero and how the displayed percentage is derived.
{% endhint %}

### Grade bands

Each grade defines a minimum percentage. Synap applies the highest band whose threshold the candidate meets.

Example:

| Grade       | Minimum | Example outcome       |
| ----------- | ------: | --------------------- |
| Distinction |     80% | 80.00% and above      |
| Pass        |     60% | 60.00% through 79.99% |
| Fail        |      0% | Below 60%             |

Check exact boundary and rounding behaviour with representative results. Avoid overlapping or unexplained gaps.

### Grading scheme

| Scheme      | Candidate result                          | Use when                                 |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Pass / Fail | Shows pass or fail alongside a grade band | Progression depends on a pass decision   |
| Grades only | Shows grade bands without pass or fail    | The grade itself is the complete outcome |

The scheme applies to overall and section grades. Grades-only assessments also change how pass-dependent resits and result messages should be interpreted.

### Section grades

Enable section grades when candidates need a separate result for each section. This adds more than a display breakdown: each section has its own grade thresholds.

Before enabling, decide:

* whether a candidate can pass overall while failing a section;
* whether every section is mandatory;
* which result is used for progression, resits and certificates;
* how section results will be explained to candidates and downstream systems.

### Advanced achievement criteria

Advanced criteria require section grades and a pass/fail grading scheme. They let an overall grade depend on additional section-level rules rather than overall percentage alone.

Use this for rules such as “60% overall and a pass in every mandatory section.” Document the rule outside the configuration screen and test every transition:

* overall pass with one failed section;
* every section passed but overall threshold missed;
* exact threshold values;
* a manually adjusted question mark that changes a section and overall result.

### Manual marking interaction

Automatically marked answers may have scores immediately, while manually marked responses remain incomplete. The Results page determines whether students wait, see an incomplete result or receive an automatically released result. If every mark must be checked first, use manual release and finalise the result before making it visible.

### Validation checklist

1. Calculate the maximum and minimum possible raw mark.
2. Test correct, partially correct, incorrect and unanswered responses.
3. Test the score immediately below, exactly on and immediately above every grade boundary.
4. Test section criteria independently from the overall score.
5. Confirm resit eligibility and certificate issuance for each outcome.
6. Confirm the labels students see and the values in exports mean the same thing.


---

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