Certainty Based Marking (CBM)

Certainty-based marking (CBM) is a grading method that allows learners to indicate their level of confidence in their responses to questions.

Rather than simply selecting an answer and moving on, learners are asked to indicate their level of certainty about the answer by selecting a confidence rating. This rating system provides several benefits for learners, including:

Increased engagement:

CBM encourages learners to think more carefully about their responses and consider how confident they are in their answers. This can help to increase engagement and motivation to learn, as learners are more actively involved in the learning process.

Improved retention:

By encouraging learners to think more carefully about their responses, CBM can help to improve retention of information over time. Learners are more likely to remember information that they are confident in and have thought about carefully.

Personalised feedback:

CBM provides more personalised feedback to learners, as it takes into account not only whether they got a question right or wrong, but also their level of certainty. This can help learners to identify areas where they need to improve their understanding and can guide their future learning.

Fair grading:

CBM helps to ensure that learners are graded fairly and accurately, as it takes into account not only the correctness of their answers, but also their level of certainty. This can help to reduce the impact of guesswork on grades and provide a more accurate reflection of learners’ knowledge and understanding.

In summary, certainty-based marking provides several benefits to learners, including increased engagement, improved retention, personalised feedback, and fair grading. By incorporating CBM into assessments and training programs, organisations can help to improve the effectiveness of their learning initiatives and support learners in achieving their full potential.