Rhonda Wynne
Adult Education Centre, UCD
QUICK MARKING REFERENCE
Comprehension
Acquisition of knowledge
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Argument
Interpretation
Analysis
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Accuracy
Relevance
Focus
Structure
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First Class Honours:
70-100%
Demonstrates thorough
understanding of topic
Familiar with broad context
surrounding topic
Shows special initiative or
distinctive insight
Evidence of original thinking
rather than mere replication of
class work/discussion
Acknowledges complexity of
argument
Coherent, objective and
rational argument
In-depth analysis
Subtle/sophisticated reasoning
Comprehensive examples
offered to support
ideas/theories/generalisations
Points expanded upon
sufficiently
Accurate in all details, no
factual inaccuracies
All points have evident link to
each other and to task set
Clear/confident focus
Logical structure
Answer relates directly to the
task
Response exceptionally well
formulated
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Second Class Honours
60-69%
Demonstrates sound
understanding of main
issues
Clear understanding of
significance of material
Lacking in original ideas
which would distinguish
work as exceptional
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Answer demonstrates a
critical viewpoint but may
omit to set wider context
Argues in an assured and
orderly way
Thorough analysis
Answer supported by
examples
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Factually correct
Logical progression from
one point to the next
Lacks sustained focus
May get a little sidetracked but generally
responds to set task
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Pass
40-59%
Competent
understanding of
material
Tendency to
paraphrase class
notes/discussion
without adding new
dimension
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General outline of an
appropriate argument
Unreflective with
little evidence of
interpretation of facts
Superficial remarks
May have flaws in
argument
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Padding superfluous
information
Structure not clear jumbled thoughts
Answers don't relate
directly to the task
Tendency to move
away from the set
task
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Fail
0-39%
No understanding of
subject matter evident
Answer not related in
any way to the task set
No sense of what the
material means
No clear/appropriate
argument
Little evidence of
analysis
Answer may contain
contradictions
Emotional/irrational
outbursts
Inaccurate and/or
unrelated information
Obvious padding
No sense of relevance
Rhonda Wynne
Adult Education Centre, UCD
Quality of Writing
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Presentation
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First Class Honours:
70-100%
Writing clear, fluent & accurate
Subtle/sophisticated use of
language
Good use of vocabulary
Flowing style
Appropriate use of idiom
Easy to read
Immediately comprehensible
for reader
Well laid out
Consistent format
Adheres to presentation
guidelines
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Second Class Honours
60-69%
Writing clear enough to
convey argument but may
lack fluency
Logical progression from
point to point
Good use of paragraphs
Clear sentences
Few spelling errors
Presents few
comprehension difficulties
for reader
Appropriately laid out
Consistent format
Adheres to presentation
guidelines
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Pass
40-59%
Complicated
sentences
Poor use of
punctuation
Limited
communication of
ideas
Tendency to be long
winded
Exceeds/falls short of
required word count
Poorly laid out
Limited distinction
between paragraphs
Inconsistent format
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Bibliography &
Referencing
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Exceptional range of reading
evident
Comprehensive bibliography
Relevant and up-to-date
bibliography
Quotations correctly and
consistently referenced
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Range of reading evident
Thorough bibliography
Quotations correctly and
consistently referenced
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Poor/incomplete
bibliography
Incorrect/inconsistent
referencing
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Fail
0-39%
Numerous and varied
errors in writing
Poor sentence structure
Lack of punctuation
Inappropriate language
- colloquial, slang
Requires huge effort
from reader to grasp
meaning
Poor communication
Falls short of required
assignment length
Presentation guidelines
not adhered to
Lack of spell check
Illegible writing/poor
choice of font
No bibliography
No referencing
Indications that work
may have been
plagiarised