How is the final mark calculated?

[medlop990]

Do they just do a basic weighted calculation of the percentages of each assessment? If they say that the exam is worth 50%, and an assignment is worth 5%, final mark =  0.5*exam + 0.05*assesment1+...?
The reason I ask is that people that average low 90s (around 92) throughout the semester (50% of the total mark) may end up with mid 90s (approx 96) for their final grade which would imply that they got a 100 for the exam. This is what happened to my friend but they said that they didn't answer some q's. And I imagine it's very hard to full-mark biology even for a good student.

[AlphaZero]

Do they just do a basic weighted calculation of the percentages of each assessment? If they say that the exam is worth 50%, and an assignment is worth 5%, final mark =  0.5*exam + 0.05*assesment1+...?
The reason I ask is that people that average low 90s (around 92) throughout the semester (50% of the total mark) may end up with mid 90s (approx 96) for their final grade which would imply that they got a 100 for the exam. This is what happened to my friend but they said that they didn't answer some q's. And I imagine it's very hard to full-mark biology even for a good student.

Indeed, marks are calculated by taking the weighted average of the subject's assessments.

Final marks can be scaled as well. This occurs for a number of reasons. Eg: the results for a cohort are disproportionate or have an irregular/inappropriate distribution.

[Sine]

Do they just do a basic weighted calculation of the percentages of each assessment? If they say that the exam is worth 50%, and an assignment is worth 5%, final mark =  0.5*exam + 0.05*assesment1+...?
The reason I ask is that people that average low 90s (around 92) throughout the semester (50% of the total mark) may end up with mid 90s (approx 96) for their final grade which would imply that they got a 100 for the exam. This is what happened to my friend but they said that they didn't answer some q's. And I imagine it's very hard to full-mark biology even for a good student.

As for the usual case, the calculation is quite simple e.g. In semester is worth 50% and the exam is worth 50%.
If someone scores 90% in-semester you yield 0.90 x 50 = 45
So they have 45/50 for in-semester
Then for the exam, they get 80% then you yield 0.80 x 50 = 40
And then add those up

For the example you have it could be possibly scaling (or some questions on the exam were not marked etc)-  As for scaling, I've heard it happening at unimelb sometimes but less so at Monash at least form my knowledge.

[medlop990]

As for the usual case, the calculation is quite simple e.g. In semester is worth 50% and the exam is worth 50%.
If someone scores 90% in-semester you yield 0.90 x 50 = 45
So they have 45/50 for in-semester
Then for the exam, they get 80% then you yield 0.80 x 50 = 40
And then add those up

For the example you have it could be possibly scaling (or some questions on the exam were not marked etc)-  As for scaling, I've heard it happening at unimelb sometimes but less so at Monash at least form my knowledge.

Probably no way for you to know this but might as well ask. Do you know if scaling is a common occurrence? Especially with science subjects? Asking about unimelb specifically btw.