---
title: Setting up the marking scheme
description: "  There are 4 main steps to be completed before you can Allocate submissions to Reviewers: 1. Complete the Configure Review menu (must be completed before you can set up your marking scheme) 2. Comple"
---

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1. [Knowledge Base - Support Documentation for Ex Ordo](https://help.exordo.com/?hsLang=en)
2. [Site Administrators](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en)
3. [Configuring your review settings](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#configuring-your-review-settings)

# Setting up the marking scheme

 

There are 4 main steps to be completed before you can Allocate submissions to Reviewers:

1\. Complete the [Configure Review](https://help.exordo.com/configuring-review?hsLang=en) menu (must be completed before you can set up your marking scheme)

2\. Complete the Setup Marking Scheme menu - details in this article! 

3\. Complete the [Configure Acceptance](https://help.exordo.com/setting-up-decision-types?hsLang=en) menu

4. [Add Reviewers](https://help.exordo.com/adding-reviewers?hsLang=en) and either [assign topics to them](https://help.exordo.com/updating-a-reviewers-topics?hsLang=en) or [invite them to pick their own topics](https://help.exordo.com/inviting-reviewers-to-choose-their-topics?hsLang=en)

 

If it is time to create the reviewer form, you are in the right place! Locate the **Setup Review** dashboard card and click on **Configure Marking Scheme Settings**.

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-01-21-1708-AM.png?width=670&height=405&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-01-21-1708-AM.png)

 

#### Step 1: Scoring Categories

Step 1 is where you will create questions for reviewers. Don't worry about the answers quite yet! That's step 2. 

Be sure to check out this article with [ideas for your marking scheme](https://help.exordo.com/ideas-for-your-marking-scheme-reviewer-form?hsLang=en). Now, let's go through the technical stuff. You can:

- Remove the check from the left-hand side of a question to remove it from your reviewer form. Reviewers will not see questions that aren't checked.
- Reorder questions by dragging them up and down using the dots to the right-hand side of a question
- Change the question name and description box to match your review needs.

 

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-07-35-8742-AM.png?width=670&height=443&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-07-35-8742-AM.png)

 

You can add new questions by clicking into a placeholder question field, which appears a little lower on this tab. 

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-12-11-5337-AM.png?width=670&height=275&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-12-11-5337-AM.png)

The first section of questions under the **General section** is your scoring grade questions. The answers to these will be **numerical** (e.g., 1-5)

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-34-58-0188-AM.png?width=670&height=398&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-34-58-0188-AM.png)

Scroll down and locate the **Other** question section. This is where you can add in new **drop-down style** questions. You'll add the options reviewers can select from on step 2. 

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-36-04-4207-AM.png?width=670&height=299&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-36-04-4207-AM.png)

 

You'll find 3 questions at the bottom of list which are enabled by default. You can edit the explainer text in these questions; or disable them completely. 

- **Format**: asks reviewers to recommend an acceptance format. This is not a decision, only a recommendation. Admins will make the final decisions.
- **Acceptance**: asks reviewers to rank how strongly they would accept this work
- **Confidence**: asks reviewers how confident they are in the subject matter. If they indicate they are not confident, perhaps you'd want to [add another reviewer](https://help.exordo.com/adding-additional-review-slots?hsLang=en) to double check the content before making a decision.

 

Hit **Done** at the bottom of this tab to head to the next step when ready!

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-38-47-4090-AM.png?width=670&height=726&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-38-47-4090-AM.png)

### Step 2: Scoring Grades

This is where you can modify the responses reviewers will choose to the questions you ask. You will be able to:

- add or remove scoring grades
- change the number, label or help text
- move responses up or down in the list

 

**![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-52-08-7402-PM.png?width=1662&height=1050&name=image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-52-08-7402-PM.png)**

 

That's it! Click **Done** to head to the next step. 

 

### Step 3: Category Weighting

Category weighting is disabled by default. If enabled, you can change how the general review score is calculated. This helps you weight certain scoring grade questions as more important than others. For example, perhaps technical merit is the most important aspect for your conference. You can make this category twice as important in the general score calculation by using category weighting.

 

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-50-25-8153-AM.png?width=670&height=541&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-50-25-8153-AM.png)

Click **Done** to head to the next step when ready!

### Step 4: Extra Settings

There are few options on this step that you can use:

- **Summary of understanding**: this would require reviewers to write a summary of the content. Authors would see this summary when you publish decisions.
- **Feedback for authors**: you could either require or allow reviewers to leave comments that would be visible to authors when you publish decisions.
- **Feedback for chairs**: you could either require or allow reviewers to leave comments for chairs only. Authors will never see this comments.

 

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-56-03-8783-PM.png?width=1746&height=756&name=image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-56-03-8783-PM.png)

 

You can also choose which information reviewers will see when viewing a submission.

 

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-56-53-4734-PM.png?width=1732&height=1162&name=image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-56-53-4734-PM.png)

 

There are two final settings to consider:

- Transparent Scores: You can choose to show authors the numerical scores they received, or hide them.
- Review Score formula: You can choose to see the over all review score as an average or sum of all scores left by reviewers.

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-57-32-3842-PM.png?width=1728&height=614&name=image-png-Feb-23-2026-07-57-32-3842-PM.png)

 

Click **Done** to head to the next step when ready!

### Step 5: Preview

The time has finally arrived! You can now preview your marking scheme. We recommend carefully reviewing the form and making adjustments until you are happy!

You cannot edit the reviewer form after the review has started. Please carefully preview your form and make edits before opening the review.

Click **Edit** to check out your questions.

![](https://help.exordo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-56-33-4909-AM.png?width=670&height=456&name=image-png-Apr-18-2025-10-56-33-4909-AM.png)

That's it! When you hit **Done**, you will be back on your dashboard. You can grab a cup of tea or head into the final review menu: [Configure Acceptance](https://help.exordo.com/setting-up-decision-types?hsLang=en).

 

- [Site Administrators](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Conference hub - getting started and managing site settings](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#conference-hub-getting-started-and-managing-site-settings)
    - [Exports and Reports](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#exports-and-reports)
    - [Submissions](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#submissions)
    - [Configuring your review settings](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#configuring-your-review-settings)
    - [Adding and managing your list of reviewers](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#adding-and-managing-your-list-of-reviewers)
    - [Allocating and Opening the Review](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#allocating-and-opening-the-review)
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    - [Making decisions, notifying authors and collecting RSVPs](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#making-decisions-notifying-authors-and-collecting-rsvps)
    - [Collecting new/edited content and copyrights from accepted authors](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#collecting-new-edited-content-and-copyrights-from-accepted-authors)
    - [Programme hub: Creating your schedule](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#programme-hub-creating-your-schedule)
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    - [People hub](https://help.exordo.com/site-administrators?hsLang=en#people-hub)
- [Authors](https://help.exordo.com/authors?hsLang=en#main-content)

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    - [Submitting a panel](https://help.exordo.com/authors?hsLang=en#submitting-a-panel)
    - [Panel contributions (submitting to an existing panel)](https://help.exordo.com/authors?hsLang=en#panel-contributions-submitting-to-an-existing-panel)
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- [Delegates](https://help.exordo.com/delegates?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Registration](https://help.exordo.com/delegates?hsLang=en#registration)
    - [Attending a virtual event](https://help.exordo.com/delegates?hsLang=en#attending-a-virtual-event)
    - [Accessing the mobile app](https://help.exordo.com/delegates?hsLang=en#accessing-the-mobile-app)
    - [Navigating the Ex Ordo Programme](https://help.exordo.com/delegates?hsLang=en#navigating-the-ex-ordo-programme)
- [Track Chairs](https://help.exordo.com/track-chairs?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Initial Submissions](https://help.exordo.com/track-chairs?hsLang=en#initial-submissions)
    - [Reviews: managing reviewers and the review](https://help.exordo.com/track-chairs?hsLang=en#reviews-managing-reviewers-and-the-review)
    - [Decisions and Final Submissions](https://help.exordo.com/track-chairs?hsLang=en#decisions-and-final-submissions)
    - [Communication hub: sending messages from Ex Ordo](https://help.exordo.com/track-chairs?hsLang=en#communication-hub-sending-messages-from-ex-ordo)
    - [Using the Virtual Builder (Session Creators Only)](https://help.exordo.com/track-chairs?hsLang=en#using-the-virtual-builder-session-creators-only)
- [Reviewers](https://help.exordo.com/reviewers?hsLang=en)
- [Review Group Chairs](https://help.exordo.com/review-group-chairs?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Preparing for the review](https://help.exordo.com/review-group-chairs?hsLang=en#preparing-for-the-review)
    - [Managing the review](https://help.exordo.com/review-group-chairs?hsLang=en#managing-the-review)
    - [Using the Communication Hub](https://help.exordo.com/review-group-chairs?hsLang=en#using-the-communication-hub)

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