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Moral content and assignment marking: An exploratory study

Snelling, Paul C.; Lipscomb, Martin

Authors

Paul C. Snelling

Martin Lipscomb



Abstract

This small scale exploratory survey investigates the relation between the moral content of student assignments and potential marking behaviour by lecturers. A questionnaire containing a number of deliberately discriminatory statements was sent to a sample of nurse academics, and participants were asked to indicate whether the inclusion of these statements might affect the mark awarded. The sample was too small to undertake tests of statistical significance. However, the results tentatively suggest that a majority of participants would penalise assignments that contain morally questionable statements, and many would cite the code of professional conduct in justification. There appeared to be little difference in the response to statements that offered opinions (normative) or described actions (descriptive). However, differences between responses to statements discriminating against different groups were apparent, with racist statements being penalised more often and with greater severity than other categories. Qualitative data support the quantitative data. Several areas for discussion are identified, including the academic status of nursing, the use of the code of professional conduct, the moral claims made for nurses, a potential 'hierarchy of wrongness', student self censorship, and inconsistency in marking. Further research is justified. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Snelling, P. C., & Lipscomb, M. (2006). Moral content and assignment marking: An exploratory study. Nurse Education Today, 26(6), 457-464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2005.12.003

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Aug 1, 2006
Journal Nurse Education Today
Print ISSN 0260-6917
Electronic ISSN 1532-2793
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 26
Issue 6
Pages 457-464
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2005.12.003
Keywords assignment marking, discrimination, code of professional conduct, moral content
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1037449
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2005.12.003




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