How is a test score with negative marking calculated?
Raw score = correct − wrong × penalty. With a −¼ penalty, 28 correct and 8 wrong give 26; out of 40 questions that is 65%.
HazırTest4.0Download HazırTest ↓Test score calculator
with or without negative marking.
Enter the number of questions, correct and wrong answers and choose the penalty for a wrong answer. You get the raw score, the percentage and the points out of any total (100, 20, 10 …) at once.
SCORE—out of 100
PERCENTAGE—enter the number of questions
RAW SCORE—correct answers
Three steps to the score.
- 1Count correct and wrong answersBlank answers are not counted; only the number of correct and wrong answers is needed.
- 2Subtract the penaltyRaw score = correct − wrong × penalty. With −¼, 8 wrong answers cost 2 points.
- 3Scale itPercentage = raw score ÷ questions × 100; points = raw score ÷ questions × full marks.
40 questions: 28 correct, 8 wrong, 4 blank
| Penalty | Raw score | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| No penalty | 28 | 70% |
| −¼ per wrong (5 choices) | 26 | 65% |
| −⅓ per wrong (4 choices) | 25.33 | 63.33% |
| −½ per wrong (3 choices) | 24 | 60% |
| −1 per wrong | 20 | 50% |
Common questions.
Do blank answers lower the score?
No. A blank answer scores zero and is not penalised; only wrong answers lose points when negative marking is used.
Why is the penalty −¼ for five-choice questions?
So that random guessing gains nothing on average. With five choices a guess is right one time in five and wrong four times; losing ¼ point for each of the four wrong guesses cancels the one point gained. With four choices the matching penalty is −⅓, with three choices −½.
Can the score be negative?
Mathematically yes, if the penalties add up to more than the correct answers. Many teachers floor the score at zero; the calculator does this by default and you can turn it off.
How do I convert the score to a grade out of 100 (or 20, or 10)?
Enter your scale in the Full marks box. The calculator divides the raw score by the number of questions and multiplies by full marks, so equal-weight questions are assumed.
Can this be done automatically for a whole class?
Yes. HazırTest scans the answer sheets of the whole class and applies the same rules — points per question, a fixed total or negative marking — then produces score lists, item analysis and report cards.
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