Contextual & Critical Studies:Stage 1

Grades and Assessment Criteria

GRADE / 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0
DEFINITION / EXCELLENT
Outstanding
Performance / COMMENDABLE
Meritorious
Performance / GOOD
Competent
Performance / SATISFACTORY
Adequate
Performance / THRESHOLD
Borderline fail - open to compensation / FAIL / NO WORK
(Weighting)
CRITERIA
(20)
ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION / Excellent commitment to attendance at lectures and seminars, except where fully explained and supported. Exceptional effort to prepare is evident in Notebook and participation in discussions. / Sound commitment to attend lectures and seminars, except where fully explained and supported. Effort to prepare is evident in Notebook and participation in discussions. / Regular attendance at lectures and seminars OR absence is explained and supported. Critical Notebook is brought to seminars and effort is made to participate in discussion. / Adequate attendance at lectures and seminars but there are absences for which reasons may not be given or are insubstantial. Participation is adequate although Notebook is sometimes not in evidence at seminars and contribution is thereby affected. / Attendance at lectures and seminars is generally poor (less than 50%), although student is intermittently present. Acceptable reasons for absence are rarely provided. Seminar participation may also be poor, due to failure to bring or complete Critical Notebook. / Attendance is minimal and student has effectively missed substantial elements of the course. Seminar participation is affected as a result and Critical Notebook has rarely been seen. / No attendance
(30)
RESEARCH & REFERENCES / Thorough research. Displays effort and initiative. Knowledge and use of Library resources is excellent. Varied, balanced and wholly appropriate use of both paper-based & electronic sources. Core and other recommended texts have been thoroughly consulted and bibliography is soundly reflected in content. Perceptive selection and use of quotationsthroughout. / Commendable research skills. Demonstrates sound knowledge of basic Library resources. Very good use of both paper-based & electronic sources. Core and other recommended texts have been well consulted and bibliography is well reflected in content. Quotations are used regularly and appropriately to clarify points. / Good research effort indicating competency in the use of basic Library resources. Both paper based and electronic sources are included. Core and other recommended texts have been consulted
and bibliography reflects content. Good balance of research and personal opinion. Quotations used to support key points. / Satisfactory overall. Relevant reading is apparent and there are good points but one or two clearweaknesses. For example: limited use of the range of basic Library resources; over reliance on one text or the Internet; use of dated or poor quality sources; limited use of core or other recommended texts; over reliance on personal opinion;weak match between bibliography and content; limited use of appropriate quotations. / Research skills and/or effort are marginal indicating minimal knowledge of basic Library resources little and/or no awareness of core or other recommended texts. There are several significant problems such as over reliance on one text or the Internet; use of dated or poor quality sources; too much personal opinion;disparity between bibliography and content; minimal or no use of appropriate quotations. / Research appears insufficient or inappropriate to the question. Indicates little or no awareness of relevant texts or possible Library resources. May be mostly personal opinion. Quotations are omitted orinappropriate / No work submitted for assessment
for assessment
(30)
CRITICAL AWARENESS & EXPLORATION OF IDEAS / Demonstrates an unusually wide knowledge of and insight into, critical themes and their application. Excellent effort made to explore a wide range of images and ideas through the Critical Notebook. Always analytical in approach. / Demonstrates a commendable effortto explore and extend knowledge of all critical themes, Throughout the Notebook there is clear effort to engage with the programme and investigate ideas and include visual materials. Approach is mostly analytical. / A good effort to explore most of the themes introduced by the lecture programme and to investigate related ideas and visual materials Content of Critical Notebook indicates developing knowledge and analytical ability. / Satisfactory overall although further visual and research based exploration is needed in the Notebook. There is a basic grasp of programme issues but knowledge of critical themes may require further reading and research. More visual materials and more analysis are required. / Clear need to undertake further reading and research to support content of the Notebook. Evidence of understanding or engagement with critical themes is very limited. Provision of visual and text based materials indicate only limited effort to really engage. / Minimal or no effort made to investigate or explore critical themes introduced by the programme. Few materials are included in the submission and content is clearly lacking evidence of effort or intention to engage. / No work submitted
for assessment
6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0
EXCELLENT
Outstanding
Performance / COMMENDABLE
Meritorious
Performance / GOOD
Competent
Performance / SATISFACTORY
Adequate
Performance / THRESHOLD
Borderline fail - open to compensation / FAIL / NO WORK

Contextual and Critical Studies Stage 1 cont.

(Weighting)
CRITERIA
(10)
WRITING SKILLS / Excellent throughout. Introduction is clear and relates directly to the brief. Ideas are logically developed throughout and sections are consistently well linked. Final conclusion fully clarifies the argument and relates it confidently to the brief. English is excellent; appropriate for formal writing, articulate and coherent with no errors in spelling or grammar. / Commendable in most of the followingrespects: introduction is clear and relates to the brief; ideas are logically developed; sections are well linked; conclusion includes the main threads of the argument, and relates well to the original brief. English is very good; generally appropriate, clear and coherent, with minimal errors in spelling or grammar. / Competent overall. No elements are omitted. Introduction is present and relates to the brief, ideas are developed in the main body and summarised in a distinct conclusion. Sections are generally linked and, and related to the question. English reads well overall, and is appropriate for formal writing. Relatively few errors in spelling and grammar. / Adequate. A broad framework exists, but may include problems: introduction or conclusion may be superficial or not clearly relate to the question; essay may digress or drift, lacking direction; sections might be better linked and/or be more clearly related to the question. English is satisfactory but may sometimes be difficult to follow and/or include regular errors;orit may be over conversational and need formalised to suit essay writing. / Not adequate There are several of the following problems and little evidence of a planned approach: introduction and/or conclusion may be superficial, irrelevant or simply omitted; essay may regularly digress or drift, lacking direction; sizable sections may not clearly be related to the question. Similarly, English may often be difficult to follow and meaning is correspondingly unclear. Possibly, repeated errors in spelling and grammar. / Structure is not apparent. No clear introduction or conclusion, or these are not related to the essay question. Essay may ramble without establishing a direction. Little or no relationship between content and question. English is extremely difficult to follow and meaning is regularly unclear. Corresponding problems in spelling and/or grammar. / No work submitted
for assessment.
(10)
PRESENTATION / Fully adheres to all requirements:
word processed, neat and legible; imagery is well integrated, well labelled and clear; bibliography and references are in correct academic format / Adheres to following requirements, with minor exceptions: word processed, neat & legible; imagery is well integrated, well labelled and clear; bibliography and references are in correct academic format. / Word processed, legible and neat. Problems are confined to one or two issues: clarity, labelling or placing of imagery; adherence to correct academic format for bibliography and/or references. / Satisfactory overall but there are one or two clear problems: essay is word processed but physical presentation may be "scruffy" or affect legibility; clarity, labelling or placing or imagery may be poor; bibliography and/or references may not be in correct academic format. / Unsatisfactory overall. There are major problems: essay may not be word processed; physical presentation is very "scruffy" or illegible; imagery is omitted or very poor quality; bibliography and/or references are omitted or not remotely correct in format/ / Presentation is not acceptable. It is hand written, too "scruffy" and/or illegible. It may fall far short of requested word length. Imagery is omitted. Bibliography and/or references are omitted. Content and bibliography do not match. / No work submitted for assessment