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General marker
Role
General markers are appointed by the awarding body to mark candidates' responses to particular questions in a paper in accordance with the agreed mark scheme for those questions. Unlike examiners, general markers are not required to have a high level of subject expertise. General markers are required to follow the awarding body's marking procedures throughout the marking process.
Training
General markers are trained by means of attendance at the compulsory standardisation meeting for their particular questions, after which they carry out their marking at a marking centre or at home.
Marking period
Throughout the marking period they work under supervision and their work is monitored (in person, by post, email and/or telephone) to the same rigorous standards as subject expert examiners. The marking period is usually no longer than three weeks, so that general markers require good self-discipline in order to get their allocation of work completed in time to meet the awarding body's deadlines whilst also meeting the professional and administrative requirements set by the awarding body.
Qualifications
Unlike an examiner, a general marker does not need to be experienced in the subject concerned, because the general marker marks work such as short answer questions, where a high level of subject expertise is not necessary in order to apply the mark scheme correctly.
General markers are appointed for one marking session at a time and are normally re-appointed for subsequent sessions if their work has proved acceptable and if there is sufficient work to be done.