Undergraduate Generic Marking Criteria
Faculty of Arts & Humanities
The College marking criteria set out below should be read in conjunction with discipline-specific criteria as appropriate and should be viewed as a starting point.
The College marking criteria provides guidance on the overall standards expected at different grade bands but discipline-specific criteria may be needed in order
to ensure that marking decisions are consistent, fair and transparent to both staff and students.
Level 4
All levels
Grade
A++
First
90-100
Grade
A+
First
80-89
Level 5
Level 6
Outstanding answer, well written, highly structured & informed, showing striking personal insight and originality
Full understanding of the relevant material and
issues demonstrating, for example, originality in
Understanding written assignments, comprehensive
understanding of the knowledge base, and
critical judgement.
Extensive understanding of the relevant material and
Full understanding of the relevant material and
issues, demonstrating an ability to formulate ideas in
issues, demonstrating, for example, originality in
analysis, comprehensive understanding of
written assignments, comprehensive understanding
methodologies with a high degree of precision, highly
of the knowledge base,-and critical judgement.
independent and critical judgement.
Depth of
Knowledge
Extensive range of sources used and applied,
appropriately to the assignment and of
outstanding quality.
Extensive range of sources used and applied
appropriately to the assignment, insightful and of
outstanding quality.
Extensive range of sources used and applied to the
assignment in a highly insightful manner and of
outstanding quality.
Structure
Excellently structured, focused and well-written
presentation.
Excellently structured, focused and well-written
presentation. Compelling arguments made.
Excellently structured, focused and well-written
presentation Compelling argument throughout.
All levels
Highly thoughtful answer informed by wider reading, showing clarity of thought, personal insight and originality
Thorough understanding of the relevant material Thorough understanding of the relevant material and Thorough understanding of the relevant material and
Understanding and issues with informed discussion. Evidence of issues with informed discussion. Independent and issues with insightful discussion, and independent and
critical evaluation.
critical evaluation.
critical evaluation integrated throughout.
Depth of
Knowledge
Full range of sources used and applied in a
focused manner.
Full range of sources used and applied in a highly
focused manner.
Full range of sources used and applied in a detailed
integrative way throughout the work.
Structure
Clear and fluent style. Very well focused and
structured.
Clear and fluent style. Very well focused and
structured.
Clear and fluent style. Very well focused and
structured.
The College marking criteria have been reviewed with usage of 0-100% grading structure in line with current College regulations. The criteria set out should be used across the College except where banded
marking schemes have been approved and operating.
A&H approved September 2015
Level 4
Grade A
First
70-79
Grade B
Upper
2nd
60 - 69
Level 5
Level 6
All levels
Thoughtful answer informed by wider reading showing clarity of thought and personal insight
Understanding
Thorough understanding of the relevant material and
Thorough understanding of the relevant material
Thorough understanding of the relevant material and
issues, demonstrating insight and a good level of
and issues with sound discussion.
issues with insightful and creative analysis.
evaluation.
Depth of
Knowledge
A comprehensive range of relevant literature
used.
Comprehensive range of relevant literature, evidence Comprehensive range of relevant literature / evidence
is used to support arguments, awareness of wider
used demonstrating independent thought and
issues.
extensive reading.
Structure
Clear and logical presentation.
Clear, logical and integrated presentation.
All Levels
Good understanding of basic principles and relevant evidence, with a coherent and logical argument
Understanding
Good understanding of the relevant material and Good understanding of the relevant material and
issues, showing evidence of discussion.
issues with development of analytical thought.
Depth of
Knowledge
Relevant literature.
Good use of relevant literature.
Structure
Coherent and well-organised presentation.
Coherent, well-organised and logical presentation.
Clear, fluent, integrated and focused presentation.
Good understanding of all the relevant material and
issues and wider implications with a convincing
analysis.
Breadth in examples and literature / evidence used
without any major omissions.
Demonstrates extended reading.
Coherent, well-organised and logical presentation.
All Levels
Grade C
Lower
2nd
50 - 59
Sound understanding demonstrated with some analysis
Sound understanding of the relevant material and
Sound understanding of most of the relevant
Understanding
issues is demonstrated, evaluative thought is
material and issues but is mainly descriptive.
apparent in some areas.
Appropriate reading, attempts made to use the Appropriate reading is demonstrated to support the
Depth of
material in the work.
discussion.
Knowledge
Appropriate material accessed but little evidence of
extended reading, possibly some omissions.
Clearly presented and some structure but little
development.
Structure
Clearly presented but little development.
All Levels
Basic understanding of main issues demonstrated
Understanding
General knowledge of some areas demonstrated General knowledge demonstrated but the work is
but lacks detail.
mainly descriptive.
General knowledge demonstrated but analysis limited
in depth and breadth.
Sparse coverage of basic literature / material. Low
Basic literature / material are limited. Low quality
quality in a number of areas and poor range of
in a number of areas.
reading.
Skeletal coverage of basic literature / material.
Insufficient use of known literature. Low quality in a
number of areas.
Adequate presentation. Some disorganised
sections.
Adequate presentation and generally logical.
Grade D
Third 40 - 49 Depth of
Knowledge
Structure
Clearly presented but little development.
Sound understanding of the relevant material and
issues with evidence of analysis or synthesis.
Adequate presentation. Some unclear sections.
The College marking criteria have been reviewed with usage of 0-100% grading structure in line with current College regulations. The criteria set out should be used across the College except where banded
marking schemes have been approved and operating.
A&H approved September 2015
Level 4
All Levels
Grade F +
Fail
33 - 39I
Level 5
Level 6
Unsystematic incomplete and / or inaccurate FAIL.
Some knowledge but limited understanding.
Understanding Work contains inaccuracies and meaning is
unclear.
Some knowledge but does not focus on the question
The relevant material and issues are not identified.
or is very limited. Descriptive work with little
Poor analysis.
recognisable analysis.
Inappropriate literature/material used in the
Inappropriate literature/material used in assignment.
assignment. Insufficient reference to the literature
Key texts missing.
some key texts missing.
Depth of
Knowledge
Limited and/or inappropriate literature/material.
Poorly referenced.
Structure
Disorganised/unclear presentation. Lacks logical
Disorganised/unclear presentation with loose ends. Disorganised/unclear presentation. Argument sketchy.
order, structure not apparent.
Unsystematic incomplete and / or inaccurate, FAIL.
Grade F Fail All Levels
Work is mainly inaccurate or meaning is very
Very little knowledge, lacks focus with no
20- 32
Understanding
unclear.
recognisable analysis.
Depth of
Knowledge
Poor and/or inappropriate literature, lacking
Poor and/or inappropriate literature/material.
accuracy, unsound, limited range of sources.
Shows lack of understanding of the assignment.
Demonstrates poor understanding of topic.
Very poor analysis or none evident.
Poor and/or inappropriate literature, lacking accuracy,
unsound, limited/dated range of sources. Limited
understanding of topic.
Poor presentation, clumsy and disjointed, spelling and
Poor presentation, spelling and grammatical errors,
grammatical errors, conventions not followed,
unacceptably brief.
unacceptably brief.
All Levels
Unsystematic incomplete and / or inaccurate, FAIL.
Work is mainly inaccurate or meaning is very
Very little knowledge and understanding of the
Understanding unclear, uncritical and confused. Difficult to
No analysis evident.
relevant material and issues.
follow.
Grade FF
Fail 0- 19
Structure
Poor presentation, spelling errors, limited
structure.
Depth of
Knowledge
Poor and/or inappropriate literature/material.
Shows no discernible knowledge or
understanding.
Poor and/or inappropriate literature/material. Shows Poor and inappropriate literature, lacks accuracy,
no discernible knowledge or understanding, lacks
unsound. Poor uses of sources, no use of evidence to
coherence.
support argument. Very limited understanding of topic.
Structure
Very poor presentation, poor spelling and
grammar, lacks structure.
Very poor presentation, poor spelling and grammar, Very poor presentation, poor spelling and grammar,
lacks structure.
lacks structure.
Approved CASC March 2015
Arts & Humanities version September 2015
Updated July 2017
I
A mark >33 - < 39 is condonable where programme specific regulations permit
The College marking criteria have been reviewed with usage of 0-100% grading structure in line with current College regulations. The criteria set out should be used across the College except where banded
marking schemes have been approved and operating.
A&H approved September 2015