Pattern of Answer Script Presentation Errors: Teacher and Student Perspectives.

Area of Science:

• Educational Assessment
• Academic Writing

Background:

• Effective answer script presentation is crucial for knowledge conveyance and accurate assessment.
• Clarity, organization, and reduced misinterpretation positively influence scoring.
• Limited research exists on specific student errors in answer script presentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore common errors in answer script presentation from both student and teacher perspectives.
• To identify discrepancies in the perception of error severity between students and educators.
• To highlight areas for improved communication in academic assessments.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 240 students and 50 teachers.
• Utilized a 12-item, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire developed by expert educators.
• Employed ANOVA and unpaired t-tests to compare perceived error scores.

Main Results:

• Students identified inconsistent handwriting (2.72±1.4) and incomplete diagrams (2.52±1.2) as primary errors.
• Teachers perceived illegible handwriting (4.36±0.48) and lack of emphasis (4.16±0.62) as most significant.
• Teachers consistently rated error severity higher than students, except for inconsistent handwriting.

Conclusions:

• Significant disparities exist between student and teacher perceptions of answer script presentation errors.
• Inconsistent handwriting was recognized as a prominent error by both groups.
• Enhanced alignment and communication are needed regarding the importance of presentation aspects in assessments.