The 6 Rs in Practice
Supporting examiners to move from automatic interpretation to deliberate, fair, and consistent assessment, even in complex and high-pressure environments.
Recognise what's happening
Be aware of the moment a judgement begins to form.
- Notice early impressions such as "strong candidate" or "something feels off"
- Be aware of internal reactions to communication style, confidence, or familiarity
- Recognise when you are moving quickly from observation to interpretation
Regulate before reacting
Pause briefly to reduce automatic judgement.
- Check your internal state: fatigue, distraction, cognitive load
- Take a breath or brief pause before scoring or concluding
- Reset between candidates where possible (even a few seconds matters)
- Use simple regulation strategies: posture shift, breath, brief mental reset
Key idea: slowing your response improves the quality of your judgement
Re-anchor to evidence
Return to what the candidate has actually demonstrated.
- Focus on observable behaviours rather than overall impressions
- Ask: What did they say? What did they do?
- Check alignment with rubric/ marking criteria and expected standard
- Separate "how it felt" from "what was demonstrated"
Key idea: move from impression to evidence
Reframe your interpretation
Consider alternative explanations before deciding.
- Ask: What else could explain this?
- Consider communication style, anxiety, or processing under pressure
- Distinguish between difference in expression and deficit in competence
- Avoid locking in a single narrative too early
Key idea: the first explanation is not always the most accurate
Relate to the candidate context
Acknowledge the conditions under which performance is occurring.
- Recognise signs of stress or anxiety (pauses, disorganisation, reduced fluency)
- Consider impact of prior stations or perceived judgement
- Allow appropriate space for the candidate to demonstrate competence
- Use neutral, supportive prompts where appropriate
Point of contact:
Small examiner behaviours matter:
- Tone and pacing
- Allowing thinking time
- Avoiding interruption
Key idea: understanding context supports fair interpretation, not lower standards
Respond with fairness
Act deliberately to support consistent and equitable assessment.
- Apply criteria consistently across candidates
- Avoid over-weighting first impressions
- Be mindful of prompting, pacing, and how quickly you conclude
- Reflect: Would I judge this the same if presented differently?
Key idea: fair assessment requires active decision-making