Frequently asked questions

Marcus marks multiple-choice tests for teachers. You scan or photograph a class set, add the answer key, and Marcus reads every student's answers, works out the scores, asks you about anything it is unsure of, and gives you results to export to your school system. If you want, it can also print ticks, corrections and each score onto the original papers.

Marcus is free to use. Each account has monthly limits, which Marcus administrators set, such as the number of students whose names the AI reads (100 a month by default). See section 3 of our Terms of use.

Teachers and school staff. Choose Create Account on the log-in page and a Marcus administrator approves it; you get an email when it is ready. If a colleague sent you an invite link, use that to sign up.

A scanner (most school photocopiers can scan a stack to one PDF) or a phone camera, and a recent web browser on a computer, tablet or phone. There is nothing to install.

• Bubble answer sheets, where students fill in a circle or box.
• Sheets with rows of letters (A B C D) for students to circle.
• Question papers with the options printed under each question. Marcus can find the options with AI, or with a layout file.
• Tests of several pages per student: Marcus works out which pages belong together, as long as each student's pages stay together in the stack.

No. Marcus accepts any clear mark, including hand-drawn underlines that are short, long, slanted or wavy, and shading that goes outside the lines. When a mark is unclear, or a student seems to have chosen two answers, Marcus shows you a picture of that question and asks what the student meant.

Yes, one photo per page, from a phone or tablet. Marcus straightens and evens out each photo. Shadows, glare and angled pages make mistakes more likely than with a scanned PDF, so use a scanner when you can and check results from photos with extra care.

Marcus reads each answer by comparing the student's sheet with a clean copy of the test, so it sees the student's own marks. When it is not sure, it asks you instead of guessing. You can adjust how cautious it is in Settings. It is a tool to help you mark, so check the results before you rely on them.

About a second per page once the scans are in, plus the time to check any answers Marcus asks you about.

No, printing is optional. You can go straight from the results to exporting them. If you do print, Marcus helps you line it up with a one-off calibration page for each printer. Keep the papers in the order you scanned them: Marcus prints each page's marking onto the sheet in the same position in the stack. If the order changes before you print, scan the papers again and mark them again, so the marking goes onto the correct student's test.

On the Export screen, choose a layout (or make your own) and download an Excel file, a CSV file or a PDF report, or copy the table to paste straight in. You can set the layout and file type every test starts with in Menu, Settings. Share sends the file with your device's share menu, for example to your own email.

Chrome and Edge on computers do not let websites share Excel files, so Marcus downloads the file instead. To share from those browsers, choose CSV or PDF report. Safari, phones and tablets can share every file type.

No. Marcus reads the scans inside your browser. Scans, students' answers and scores never reach our server. When you download, copy or share results, they go straight from your device to the place you choose. Our server holds your account, your settings and counts of how much you use Marcus. We also count visits to the site with Cloudflare Web Analytics, which uses no cookies and never sees student work. Read the details in our Privacy policy.

In the archive, inside your browser on the computer you used. Marcus saves each test as you go, and you can stop part way with Save and close and carry on later with Open. Because the archive stays on that computer, clearing your browser's data or changing computers leaves it behind, so download the files you need to keep.

Yes. Log in anywhere and your settings come with you, because they are saved to your account. Your archive of marked tests stays on the computer where you marked them.

Yes, if you choose to, for three jobs: reading students' handwritten names, reading an answer key from a photo, and finding the answer options on a question paper. Everything else, including reading every answer, happens without AI. Before each test, Marcus asks whether to use AI for names, and you can turn each job off in Settings.

For names, small pictures cut around each student's handwritten name, and the names on your class list if you added one. For an answer key, the photo you upload, so crop out any student details first. For a question paper, a page of the test with no student work on it. The AI never receives students' answers or scores. It is the Claude model from Anthropic, a US company that may process requests in other countries. Section 5 of our Privacy policy lists what each job sends and receives.

Yes: 100 students a month by default. Each student counts once per test, so reading the same test again does not count again, and a test you start before reaching the limit is always read in full, however big the class. After that, you add names yourself until the 1st of next month. Answer keys and question papers can keep using AI.

For privacy, Marcus logs you out after 2 hours without activity, so a computer left signed in does not show students' information to the next person. Working in Marcus, including waiting while it reads a class set, keeps you logged in. Tests you have marked stay in the archive.

Yes. You and your school decide how students' information is used. Marcus keeps student work on your computer, but check your school's rules before using AI name reading or sharing results.

Choose "Forgot your password?" on the log-in page and Marcus emails you a link to choose a new one.

Open Menu, My Profile. You can update your name, school and email address, change your password, or delete your account. Deleting removes your account, usage records and settings from our server, and your archive from that browser.

Open Menu, Refer a friend, and send them your invite link or code.

Email admin@getmarcus.co.