Abstract:

Soft mark is a cloud-based digital marking platform developed by National University of Singapore. Lecturers can scan the physical assignments or exam papers and mark them online. Digital examinations offer clear benefits in efficiency, accuracy, and data reporting. Yet they also present challenges: constrained question formats, increased opportunities for misconduct, and barriers for students in calculation-heavy disciplines who must enter equations and workings. SoftMark addresses this dilemma by combining the rigor and flexibility of traditional pen-and-paper exams with the scalability and efficiency of a cloud-based marking system.

With SoftMark, students sit exams on paper; completed scripts are scanned and securely uploaded to the cloud. A master script, which defines questions and mark allocations, can be set up for easy navigation on the paper. Scripts and individual questions can be distributed to multiple markers for concurrent grading, eliminating the need to transport physical papers and reducing administrative overhead. Digital rubrics and reusable, standardized comments streamline marking while promoting fairness and reliability. With one click, markers can assign marks and attach preset feedback statements, supporting faster, clearer communication to students.

Once marking is complete, marks will be auto summed, eliminating the human errors in summation of marks. Scripts can be released instantly, accelerating the feedback cycle. SoftMark also serves as a secure archive of past scripts, simplifying longitudinal tracking of student performance without the burden of physical storage. Built-in analytics provide rapid insights into item performance (e.g., questions with the lowest average scores), enabling timely instructional responses and targeted support.

The tool’s success is reflected in its growing user base over the past few years. The number of scripts processed by SoftMark grew from 70 in 2022 to 24,165 in 2025. We will conduct a survey of current users to assess their perceptions and provide additional evidence of the platform’s success.

By integrating traditional exam formats with online marking, storage, and analytics, SoftMark preserves assessment rigor while delivering scale, consistency, and timely feedback, making it a practical solution for modern, large-scale education.

Acknowledgement:
We thank the SoftMark development team, Ben Leong, Ooi Ming Sheng and Yang Hui Ting for providing access and technical support. SoftMark was used for online marking and analytics.

Keywords:

Technology, assessment, feedback, data-based.