Departmental Assessment Criteria

Postgraduate

100-80, outstanding / 79-70, 1st class piece of work / 69-60, good but with faults / 59-50, an adequate pass / 49-40, a fail / 39-0, a bad fail, a poor attempt
Interpreta-
tion and scope / Outstanding. Scope appropriate. All significant points covered / Excellent. Scope appropriate.
Almost all significant points covered. / Good attempt to reflect scope of assignment. Most key points covered. / Attempt to cover scope:
a) some omissions
b) some misunderstandings
c) some irrelevant material. / Inadequate attempt to define scope of the essay/topic:
a) many omissions
b) many misunderstandings / No attempt to define scope of topic.
Under-standing of topic / a) Excellent understanding & exposition of relevant issues.
b) Insightful & well informed
c) Excellent awareness of nuances & complexities / a) Good understanding & exposition of relevant issues.
b) Insightful & informed
c) Good awareness of nuances & complexities. / a) Clear awareness & exposition of relevant issues.
b) Some awareness of nuances & complexities. / a) Basic awareness of the issues but at a general level.
b) Awareness of some of the issues. / a) Understanding of topic is superficial and/or confused.
b) Contains some irrelevant material. / a) Little or no understanding of the issues raised by the topic or topic misunderstood.
b) Content largely irrelevant
Use of literature / a) Outstanding use of evidence to support arguments/
points.
b) Substantial evidence of independent research. / a) Excellent use of evidence to support arguments/
points.
b) Significant independent research. / a) Good use of evidence to support arguments.
b) Some independent research. / a) Weak/
inconsistent use of evidence to support arguments.
b) Insufficient evidence of independent research. / No evidence of independent research relies on a superficial and/or poor understanding of class notes / No references to literature or even class notes.
Evaluation & synthesis of evidence / Substantial evaluation & synthesis of source material. / Significant evaluation & synthesis of source material. / Some evaluation & synthesis of source material. / a) Content over descriptive
b) Insufficient evaluation of source material / Evidence presented with little attempt at evaluation & synthesis. / Evidence presented with no attempt at evaluation or synthesis.
Critical analysis / a) Outstanding standard of critical analysis.
b) Questioning & unbiased in approach. Clear evidence of independent thought / a) Excellent standard of critical analysis.
b) Questioning and unbiased in approach. / a) Good standard of critical analysis.
b) Some questioning of sources / a) Attempts analysis but some omissions and/or errors.
b) No questioning of sources / a) Weak understanding of conceptual frameworks
b) Too descriptive
c) Analysis too superficial: omissions and/or errors
d) Over reliance on undigested sources. / a) No understanding of conceptual framework
b) Essay almost wholly descriptive.
c) No grasp of analysis: many errors and/or omissions
Structure, logical de-velopment / Convincing case made.
Aims, arguments and conclusions fully compatible. / Credible case made.
Aims, arguments and conclusions compatible. / a) Arguments clearly structured
b) Arguments logically developed. / a) Arguments not always clear.
b) Arguments not developed.
c) Structure flawed. / Arguments often unclear and undeveloped. / No logical structure.
Abstract / Clearly defines subject. Includes aims, approach and conclusions / Clearly defines subject. Includes aims, approach and conclusions / Defines subject but summary of aims, approach & conclusions incomplete / Does not summarise work effectively. / Abstract does not summarise work. / Abstract missing.
Conclusion / Excellent: accurately identifies and summarises key points/issues/ outcomes. / Good. Summarises key points/ issues/outcomes. / Summarises most key points/ issues/outcomes. / Conclusion doesn’t do justice to essay. Inadequate summary of key points/issues/ outcomes / Conclusion perfunctory. / No recognisable conclusion.
100-80, outstanding / 79-70, 1st class piece of work / 69-60, good but with faults / 59-50, an adequate pass / 49-40, a fail / 39-0, a bad fail, a poor attempt
Spelling, grammar & syntax / Exemplary, one or two errors in whole work / High standard. Negligible errors. / Acceptable standard.
Occasional errors and/or typos. / Some errors – punctuation, misuse of words, spelling, sentence construction. / Errors – punctuation, misuse of words, spelling, sentence construction makes meaning unclear / Frequent errors: punctuation, misuse of words, spelling, sentence construction makes the work largely incomprehensible
Style / Very effective use of English. Clear and easy to read. / Very effective use of English. Clear and easy to read. / Effective use of English. Clear and easy to read. / Style acceptable. / a) Style sometimes makes work difficult to understand.
b) Style is too colloquial / Style makes work largely incomprehensible.
Presentation of data and references / a) Excellent use of relevant data, examples, figures, and models.
b) References accurately cited and listed. / a) Excellent use of relevant data, examples, figures, and models.
b) References accurately cited and listed. / a) Good use of relevant data, examples, figures, and models.
b) References accurately cited and listed. / a) Some good use of relevant data, examples, figures, models.
b) Missing or incorrect citations and/or bibliography entries. / a) Little use of figures, models relevant data or examples.
b) Many errors in citation or bibliography entries: e.g. missing or incorrect.
c) Little apparent understanding of referencing. References used rarely. / a) No appropriate references to data, examples or class notes.
b) No referencing and/or bibliography.
Overall presentation / Outstanding presentation. Well organised & presented. Students’ Handbook followed. / Excellent presentation. Well organised and presented. Students’ Handbook followed. / Well organised and well presented. Students’ Handbook followed. / Presentation generally satisfactory. Some elements not as per Students’ Handbook. / Unacceptable presentation. Pagination, title, margins, & paragraphs need attention. / Unacceptable presentation. Pagination, title, margins, & paragraphs need attention.