CARDIFF SCHOOL OF HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY & RELIGION
ANCIENT HISTORY
ASSESSMENT AND STYLE GUIDE
2014–2015
ALTERNATIVE FORMATS
This Guide is available on request in 16 point type size for partially-sighted students and on
yellow paper for dyslexic students. It is also available on request in Welsh.
Requests may be made to Fiona Nicholas, the School Manager (nicholas@cardiff.ac.uk).
CONTACT DETAILS
Cardiff School of History, Archaeology & Religion
Cardiff University
Humanities Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff
CF10 3EU
Tel: 029 2087 0505
Fax: 029 2087 4929
Email: adminshare@cardiff.ac.uk
INTRODUCTION
Please read this guide carefully: it contains important information about how you are
expected to present your work and how the tutors will assess it. This information could have
a crucial bearing on your final degree result. If you do not understand something in the guide,
ask for clarification from your Personal Tutor or one of the Ancient History staff.
The first part of this booklet provides guidelines for the presentation of written work, including
essays, reports, source criticisms, dissertations and examinations. The conventions
described are those used generally in the academic community. They are intended to make
your work easier for the reader to follow, and to ensure that the supporting evidence is easy
to check. Please try to observe the guidelines closely, so that you do not lose marks
unnecessarily. Following instructions is also a useful transferable skill, which future
employers will value.
Please note that if you are taking any modules in a different subject or School, they may have
different rules for referencing and presenting coursework, so make sure that you read your
module documentation carefully.
The second part of this booklet contains the marking criteria for coursework and
examinations. These are the criteria that the tutors use when they mark your work. Make
sure you read them carefully, so that you know what is expected of you.
This guide should be used in conjunction with the Cardiff School of History, Archaeology
& Religion Student Handbook, which will be issued to you at the beginning of the academic
year, and the Academic Regulations Handbook, which is available on the University
website.
Any comments, alterations, additions, or suggestions for future editions of this guide will be
gratefully received. You can e-mail your suggestions to the Chair of the Ancient History
Board of Studies, Ruth Westgate (WestgateR@cardiff.ac.uk).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Coursework Deadlines 2014–2015
5
2. Preparation and Presentation of Written Work
6
2.1.
Presentation
6
2.2.
Coursework titles
6
2.3.
Marking criteria and mark scale
6
2.4.
Word limits
6
2.5.
Spelling and grammar
7
2.6.
Contractions and abbreviations
8
2.7.
Plagiarism
8
2.8.
Quotations
8
2.9.
Illustrations and tables
8
2.10. Principles of documentation and presentation
9
3. Writing an Essay: A Few Suggestions
10
4. Writing Source Criticisms
13
5. Bibliographies and Referencing
17
5.1.
Bibliography
17
5.2.
Referencing modern works
18
5.3.
Referencing ancient texts
19
5.4.
Referencing websites and electronic resources
19
5.5.
Referencing artefacts
20
6. Criteria-Referenced Framework for Marking Year 1 Coursework and Exams in
Ancient History, Archaeology and Conservation
22
7. Criteria-Referenced Framework for Marking Year 1 Group Presentations in Ancient
History
25
8. Criteria-Referenced Framework for Marking Year 2 and 3 Coursework and Exams in
Ancient History, Archaeology and Conservation
26
9. Use of the Years 2 and 3 Criteria-Referenced Marking Framework in Relation to
Ancient History Independent Studies and Dissertations
30
1. Coursework Deadlines 2014–2015
HS3101 Intro to Ancient Greek History / HS3102 Intro to Roman History
practice essay (optional)
Wednesday 19 November 2014
essay 1
Wednesday 28 January 2015
essay 2
Wednesday 22 April 2015
HS3307 Julian the Apostate
Wednesday 7 January 2015
HS3371 Athens in the Age of...
Friday 12 December 2014
HS4336 Pots, Poems and Pictures
practice exercise 1: source criticism
practice exercise 2: museum report
final assessment 1: paired passages
final assessment 2: corpus report
Wednesday 12 November 2014
Wednesday 12 November 2014
Wednesday 7 January 2015
Wednesday 7 January 2015
HS4356 Hellenistic Art & Architecture
Friday 12 December 2014
HS3316 Conquest & Crisis
Wednesday 4 February 2015 or
Wednesday 25 March 2015
HS3333 Rome & Carthage
Wednesday 4 February 2015 or
Wednesday 29 April 2015
HS3362 Gender & Sexuality
Wednesday 4 February 2015 or
Wednesday 22 April 2015
HS3375 Myth & History
Wednesday 4 February 2015 or
Wednesday 25 March 2015
HS4367 The Roman Army
Wednesday 4 February 2015 or
Wednesday 22 April 2015
HS4334 Independent Study
Wednesday 6th May 2015
HS4335 Final Year Dissertation
Wednesday 6th May 2015
For modules that run across both semesters, you have a choice of two deadlines. You
must submit coursework for one of these dates.
Work must be submitted in hard copy and electronically through Learning Central by 3.00
pm on the appropriate day. Work submitted late will not be accepted and will be given a
mark of zero, unless an extension has been granted. For full details how to submit
coursework and how to apply for an extension, see the School Student Handbook.
5
2. Preparation and Presentation of Written Work
2.1. Presentation
All coursework should be word-processed using the standard School template. Full
instructions for the presentation and submission of written work can be found in the School
Student Handbook.
2.2. Coursework titles
Lists of coursework titles for each module will be provided by staff in the module
documentation. In some modules you may be allowed to write on a title of your own
choosing, provided that it is approved in advance by the module tutor or your seminar
tutor.
2.3. Marking criteria and mark scale
The mark bands and detailed criteria used in assessing work are given in the later sections
of this guide. Content is the main criterion for assessment, but note will also be taken of
presentation. Content is concerned with issues such as the relevance of the answer to the
question, the quality of the argument, the use of evidence, the structure, the accuracy and
detail of the information, and the appropriateness and accuracy of the references and
bibliography. Presentation is concerned with issues such as spelling, punctuation,
grammar, writing style, referencing and visual presentation.
2.4. Word limits
Writing an essay or report must be regarded as a challenge in presenting your material
coherently, persuasively and effectively; this demands tightly organised and controlled
writing. What you have to say is inseparable from how you say it. One of the central skills
is learning how to write concisely and to make every word count.
The word limit for each item of coursework is normally specified in the module
documentation. The limit includes quotations, footnotes and endnotes, but excludes the
bibliography. Note that this is a limit; it does not mean you must write that number of
words, although questions are set with a particular length in mind, so if your work is much
shorter than the limit, you may not have enough material. Please include a word count on
the submission cover sheet of every item of coursework you submit: this can be
very easily obtained from any word processor you are using (remember to set it to count
footnotes as well as the main text).
If your work is significantly over the word limit, you may receive a low mark, because an
excessively long essay is likely to reveal inadequate rigour and self-discipline in control of
your material. You might have to draft and redraft your material several times in order to
get your essay to work, but this is unavoidable. The marking criteria require you to observe
the set word limit; failure to do so will have an impact on your mark.
6
2.5. Spelling and grammar
You are reminded that poor spelling and mechanical errors of grammar and syntax are not
likely to impress when marks are being decided or when references are being written
(referees are often asked to comment specifically on the English skills of applicants,
especially for PGCE courses). This applies to all written work, including essays, exams
and dissertations.
Aim to increase your vocabulary, but check the spelling of new words, especially those you
have only heard and not seen in print. It is a good idea to have a dictionary by your side
when you are working so that you can immediately check spellings and meanings.
Do not rely on a computer spell-check: it will not tell you if you have used the wrong word,
and it may introduce errors if you have used words that are not in its lexicon (e.g. technical
terms, or Latin or Greek names). Note also that Microsoft Word’s grammar-checking
program is not particularly good. However, computerised checks will pick up some typing
errors and are worth using as long as you do not use them as a substitute for thinking.
Remember to be particularly careful to check the spelling of the titles, authors, placenames, materials and technical terms that you are writing about. Make a special point of
checking endings such as ance/ence, ent/ant, able/ible and ei/ie combinations.
Learn to distinguish between the following which commonly appear as spelling errors:
principal / principle, there / their, affect / effect, cited / sited, etc.
You should also know how to use apostrophes. Here are some examples:
The mother has one son. She is the boy’s mother.
The mother has two daughters. She is the girls’ mother.
It’s/its: it’s is an abbreviation of it is. The possessive adjective its, meaning ‘belonging to it’,
does not have an apostrophe (It’s cold today. The cat licked its tail.).
When an author’s name ends with an s it is normal practice to add only an apostrophe
(Patricia Phillips’ works).
When referring to centuries, use a hyphen to form the compound adjective. No hyphen is
needed for a noun (It is a sixth-century pot. It was made in the sixth century).
Use the full range of punctuation to clarify your meaning and add emphasis. Good
punctuation helps the reader to understand your writing. Consider the difference in
meaning that punctuation can make:
Jones thinks Lewis is a fool.
Jones, thinks Lewis, is a fool.
Use not only full stops and commas, but also semi-colons and colons. Try to avoid linking
statements with a comma (the ‘comma splice’); either start a new sentence, or use a
conjunction (e.g. and, but, although, because) to make the connection between the two
statements explicit.
7
2.6. Contractions and abbreviations
You should avoid the use of contractions such as don’t, aren’t, etc.
Commonly used abbreviations are as follows: e.g. = for example; i.e. = that is; cf. =
compare. (Note the punctuation.) In general, however, you should not use such
abbreviations as part of your continuous text.
You will also come across the abbreviations idem and eadem (= same author, male and
female respectively), ibid. (= in the same place), op. cit. (= in the work mentioned), and ff.
(= following), which are sometimes used in footnotes. These are not compatible with our
recommended system of referencing, and you should not use them in your work.
2.7. Plagiarism
Plagiarism, in the words of Cardiff University’s Student Guide to Academic Integrity:
‘occurs when work that is submitted for assessment contains the words or ideas of
others without the original source being properly attributed or acknowledged. It includes
attempts to pass off work that has been produced by fellow students as your own, or
words or ideas that are found in textbooks, in articles, on the Web, or in any other
format. It includes both work that is directly copied from another source and work that
has been slightly changed or paraphrased to make it look like it is different from the
original.’
Examiners will take action against any student suspected of plagiarism regardless
of whether it was accidental or deliberate, and the University does not accept ignorance
of what constitutes plagiarism as a legitimate excuse. You are therefore strongly advised
to read the Cardiff University and Cardiff University Students’ Union Student Guide to
Academic Integrity which includes examples of what does and does not constitute
plagiarism: access the document at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/regis/sfs/academic/.
2.8. Quotations
All direct quotations from other authors must be placed in quotation marks and referenced
as specified in section 5 of this guide, so that it is clear when you are using words that are
not your own. Long quotations may be printed as a separate, indented paragraph (like the
quote in section 2.7 above). The inclusion of unacknowledged material will be treated as
plagiarism and penalised accordingly.
Quotations from modern authors should be used sparingly, to illustrate their argument.
You should try to avoid using too many quotations: you will get a higher mark if you explain
things in your own words, even if they are not particularly elegant, as this demonstrates to
the marker that you have understood the material. A quotation from a modern author is not
a substitute for primary evidence in support of your argument.
2.9. Illustrations and tables
Ancient history and classical archaeology are empirical subjects. Where relevant, you are
encouraged to support points you make in your work with illustrations of objects or places,
8
or plans or sections of sites, or tables of data. Illustrations and tables, however, require
thought.

They should be relevant to your argument, and they should be referred to in the text.

They should be legible.

They should have clear captions, describing exactly what (and where) they are. If an
object is in a museum, you should say where it is (and give the museum inventory
number if you can), and if you know from which direction a photo was taken, you
should state it (e.g. ‘S. wall of Caerwent from S’).

If the illustrations are not your own photographs or drawings, or if the data in a table
was not compiled by you, you should reference the source (e.g. in a publication, or on
the internet). The references can be placed either in the figure captions, or in the list of
illustrations at the end of the essay.

Illustrations and tables may be placed either in the text, near the relevant part of the
argument, or grouped together at the end, in the same order as they are discussed in
the text. Leave some white space around them.

Illustrations and tables should be consecutively numbered and keyed in to your text
(e.g. ‘the Prima Porta Augustus (fig. 3) makes subtle use of Hellenistic iconography for
new political ends’). Illustrations should be listed at the end of the essay (fig. 1, fig. 2,
etc.).
Always remember that illustrations and tables are there to help you make a point. They are
not for decoration.
2.10. Principles of documentation and presentation
If there are any points concerning presentation that you are unsure about, ask your Tutor
or any member of staff. A useful and authoritative guide to principles of documentation and
presentation is the Modern Humanities Research Association Style Guide (3rd edition,
2013), which you can download from:
www.mhra.org.uk/Publications/Books/StyleGuide/download.shtml
Much useful advice on the preparation and presentation of written work is to be found in:
Pirie, D.B., 1985. How to Write Critical Essays. London: Methuen.
Burchfield, R.W., 2004. Fowler's Modern English Usage (Revised 3rd edition). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Gowers, E., 2004. The Complete Plain Words. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Fowler, H.R., and Aaron, J. (eds.), 2003. The Little, Brown Handbook. London: Longman.
9
3. Writing an Essay: A Few Suggestions
The main purpose of writing an essay is to demonstrate that you have mastered a range of
material and that you have integrated it into a coherent argument. The key is to remember
that you are being asked a question, and you must therefore develop an argued response
and justify what you say, showing that you are aware of other approaches to the question
and that you are able to deal with possible objections to your view. You should not fall into
the trap of simply listing the accounts of the various modern writers you have read, and
then in your conclusion saying which one you agree with.
This might seem rather difficult. Essay-writing is certainly an acquired skill, but a practical
example might help. How would you respond if someone asked you why the Labour Party
lost the last general election? You would not say, ‘Well, The Guardian said that the Labour
Party lost because of the expenses scandal; The Telegraph said that they lost because of
the recession. In conclusion, I think that there is some truth in both views.’
You would give your own opinion, providing reasons to justify it. You might say something
about unemployment, or the state of the Health Service. You could refer to wider debates
by drawing on newspaper articles you have read, and might show as part of your
argument, why such and such a commentator was wrong on a particular issue. In short,
you start with your opinion and back it up with factual information, explaining where your
thoughts come from, rather than just summarising the facts.
You should also remember that you are being asked a specific question. Many questions
take the form of asking ‘what did A (e.g. a specific cause) contribute to B (e.g. a major
event)?‘ In such cases it is tempting to discuss A, but to write also about the contribution of
C, D and E to B. In fact, you should focus closely on A. However, a question such as ‘To
what extent was the fall of the Roman Republic a consequence of competition among the
Roman political elite?’ would involve some comparison between the impact of the
competition among the Roman political class on the Republic, and other relevant factors
and forces. Political competition should be central to your answer, but should be analysed
in relation to other factors. You should deal with the question in this way even if you think
that political competition was not an important cause of the fall of the Republic.
Essay-writing is much easier if it is tackled in stages. The main stages are as follows:

read the question and analyse it
Read the question and think about it very carefully. Check the meaning of key words, if
necessary, but remember that the meaning of terms or concepts used by modern
scholars (e.g. class or state) is often contested, and that the question might be
designed to get you to think about issues of definition. Try looking at how the term is
used in the various sources you consult. Paraphrase the question in your own words. If
you are in doubt about the meaning of the question then ask advice from the module
tutor or your seminar tutor. This is not cheating!
10

read and re-read the relevant material
Investigate all likely sources. You will find material in reading lists for essays and
seminars. You should read as widely as possible.

select your material and start planning
You will need to note relevant material and determine what to use. You might want, for
example, to list relevant page references under the various headings in your essay
plan. Useful material includes examples, illustrations, definitions and arguments. Try to
make notes in your own words, rather than copying out text from the books or articles
that you read; this will help you to think through the material for yourself, as well as
minimising the chance of accidental plagiarism. Do not forget to note page references
for your citations or footnotes.
Remember that in deciding what to include, the word is: relevance. If you cannot see
how material fits in with your argument, discard it. If an example or argument
contradicts your argument, then think again about the general line of your essay!

shape the essay
The selected material must be organised logically in order to create a clear line of
argument. You should draw up an outline in order to provide such a structure. There is
no single best way to organise an essay, but you may find the following pattern useful:
Introduction: The meaning of the question and key terms. It is often wise to set out
some definitions in the introduction to keep in mind throughout the essay. You must
not, for example, define ‘monuments’ or ‘chattel slavery’ in one way in the introduction,
and then use the term differently in the rest of the essay. If historians differ over a
definition, say so, but ensure that the reader knows how you will be using the term.
Show your awareness of debates about the subject. You should say briefly how
modern scholars have approached the subject and where they disagree. Indicate the
general direction you plan to take but don’t worry about stating exactly where your
argument will go. Articles are often extended essays attempting to deal with a particular
problem, so look at how professional scholars open their works. Sometimes an
anecdote taken from a primary source can give you a good place to start the essay.
For example, if you were writing an essay on relations between the emperor and the
Senate, you might start with an anecdote from an ancient source describing a specific
example of the emperor’s treatment of the Senate, and then discuss how this reflects
that emperor’s conception of his relationship with the Senate. This is often a good way
of getting past the dreaded first line of an essay.
Main body/development: The body of the essay should consist of the main points of
your argument, divided in a logical fashion. Each of these points should be designed to
substantiate your main argument. Include signposts to show where your argument is
going and perhaps to give a summary of what you have argued so far. Use transition
words and phrases to show how your arguments flow, and to refer back to your central
argument. For example: ‘Another limitation of the Aristotelian view of political
development is that…’
11
Each point should be supported by primary evidence. If, for example, you argue that
sculptured grave markers were used to define status in the Archaic period, provide the
evidence on which your claim is based, such as particular objects, archaeological
contexts, etc. Do not rely solely on the opinions of modern writers. Try to avoid simply
comparing and contrasting different contemporary viewpoints.
It is very important that you use paragraphs. The purpose of the paragraph is to deal
with one major issue or a group of related issues for a specified purpose. Paragraphs
should be arranged in an order that assists the flow of your argument through a logical
sequence of issues, evidence and debate. Paragraphs are vital — make sure you use
them properly. Paragraphs vary in length but generally contain more than five but less
than twenty sentences. Paragraphs should only very rarely contain just one or two
sentences.
Conclusion: A short summary of the argument is usually wise, followed by a clear
statement of your conclusion based on that argument. Make sure that the conclusion
flows logically from the body of the essay. You can also draw out the wider implications
of your argument — what further research might be necessary to confirm it, for
example, or how it might affect your thinking on related issues.

write the essay
Ideally you should write up a rough draft, edit and amend it, and then write a final copy.
You should then proofread the final copy before handing it in. It is essential to
concentrate on expressing your ideas clearly and to achieve a flow of argument so that
the reader can follow your line of reasoning. Do not try to use vocabulary you are
unfamiliar with. Your language should be as clear and direct as possible. Keep your
sentences and paragraphs closely focused.
If you do get stuck on the first line, don’t panic. When you first sit down to write, it’s best
just to get your ideas down on the page. Once you have the flow of things, you can go
back and write the introduction. Remember: the more time you give yourself to write,
the less intimidating the experience will be!
12
4. Writing Source Criticisms
For source criticisms there is no specific question to answer: You will be given a source
(e.g. a passage of text, or an artefact or site), and you have to determine for yourself what
are the questions or issues raised by the source that are most worthy of comment. Thus
you will usually be asked a broad question of the type:
‘You should comment on what seem to you to be the main ways in which the source
might be used as evidence for the period, paying particular attention to the context and
nature of the source, and alluding where relevant to other comparable evidence.’
Here are some guidelines to help you to deal with this invitation to ‘comment’.
1. Do not write notes.
We are looking for a short essay, i.e. a piece of connected and coherent prose, not a
series of independent notes or a commentary. Some sources may concern a single major
issue, about which a tightly connected mini-essay may be written. Other passages may
provide material on a number of different topics within a broad area. In such cases, you
should write separate paragraphs on each topic, and compose linking phrases to move
from one topic to the next.
2. Deal with the passage as evidence.
The exercise is centrally concerned with handling a specific piece of ancient evidence in
relation to one or more important historical issues; in almost all cases there is likely to be
other evidence known to you, which may belong to the same or to different genres. The
essay must be focused on the primary task, of using the passage as evidence for one or
more historical issues: and should do this by combining three essential elements into a
coherent, yet brief, essay.

Element 1: You must show a basic knowledge of the source.
If it is a literary text, the answer should show awareness of the author, i.e. his/her
rough date and relation to the topic discussed (e.g. contemporary with the events or
much later), the genre (history, play, poem, etc.). It may well be appropriate to indicate
reasons for regarding it as a good source (e.g. contemporary, or a serious researcher
or whatever) or a need for caution (e.g. known bias, written very much later, heavily
dependent on earlier material, fiction, or whatever).
If it is a document or an artefact with writing on (e.g. inscription, papyrus, coin),
knowledge should be shown if possible of the nature of the document, and the date
and place of manufacture and/or erection.
If it is a work of art or an artefact, the answer should show awareness of what type of
artefact it is, its date and place of manufacture, and where appropriate, other places
where it may have been displayed, and/or found.
13
It is best not to make all these points about the general nature of the source out of
context, as a sort of separated introduction; and certainly do not write a brief
‘biography’ of the author. Introduce the points as they are relevant to the discussion of
the issue(s).

Element 2: The essay should in most cases reveal also some awareness of other
important evidence for the specific topic, in order to identify what is distinctive and
important about this source in relation to this topic. Again this must not be allowed to
run away into irrelevant digressions, but should be kept strictly to what is necessary.
For example, on a passage from Appian on Tiberius Gracchus mentioning the agrarian
law and the Italians, it may well be appropriate to comment that this approach is not to
be found in Plutarch; but a general discussion of Plutarch as a historian of the Roman
Republic would be inappropriate.

Element 3: Above all, the essay should explore succinctly the main themes which
emerge from the passage or image, and identify if possible the contribution this
specific source makes to understanding of a historical issue. There may be one issue,
or there may be more. But they must all be issues explicitly mentioned in this passage
or text, or evidence in the image, not issues which arise from the work as a whole, or
from a passage just before this one, or concerning the period more generally. For
example, an extract from Thucydides on the Megarian decree is not an excuse to write
a general account of the causes of the Peloponnesian War, nor should you look also in
detail at the Corcyra episode. On the other hand, avoid paraphrasing the passage or
simply describing the image. There are few if any marks in paraphrasing what the
passage itself is saying, or in giving a narrative of the main events alluded to. It is the
contribution the source makes to interpretation or understanding that needs to be
brought out.
So, summing up, the main rule to remember is that we are looking for relevant comment.
You should avoid, on the one hand, introducing material that is too far removed from the
particular passage or image, and, on the other, simply repeating the gist of the passage or
describing what you see in the image.
One last example may help to conclude. Imagine you have to comment on a passage from
Xenophon’s Oikonomikos, describing how Ischomachus, his ‘Athenian gentleman’, trained
his wife to manage the female slaves. This is not an invitation to discuss Xenophon’s
literary career, nor the general nature of our sources for the lives of Athenian women, nor
the treatment of slaves. Do not give a general summary of the Oikonomikos. A good
answer should reveal, in the course of argument about this passage, a basic knowledge of
the work and a rough idea of its date, and proceed to discuss, e.g., how this passage
especially well reveals the typically patronising attitude towards his wife of the character
Ischomachus. It might also perhaps consider whether even so Xenophon reveals,
arguably, a slightly more enlightened attitude than is found in other sources. It might also
comment on a tendency, also to be seen in other sources, to give a significant role to
wives in the management of wool-working, other business and the slaves in the house.
14
A real example
Finally, here is a source criticism of a passage from Augustus’ Res Gestae written by a
Cardiff student for an exam a few years ago, which was awarded marks high in the First
class. (Note that for coursework references and bibliography are required!)
I repaired the Capitolium and Pompey’s Theatre, both works at great expense and
without inscribing my name on them. I repaired the channels of the aqueducts, which in
many places were tottering with age, and I doubled the capacity of the Aqua Marcia by
having a new spring brought into its channel. I completed the Forum Julium and the
basilica, which was between the temple of Castor and the temple of Saturn, projects
begun and well advanced by my father, and when the same basilica was destroyed by
fire, I enlarged its site and in the name of my sons I started its foundations; if I have not
completed it in my lifetime, I have ordered it to be completed by my heirs. In my sixth
consulship with the authority of the Senate I restored eighty-two temples, passing over
none which at that time needed repair. In my seventh consulship I repaired the Via
Flaminia from Rome to Ariminium, including all the bridges except the Mulvian and the
Minucian.
Res Gestae 20
The Res Gestae is the official record of the accomplishments of Augustus. It was written
by Augustus and was intended as a lasting memorial of his achievements, to be inscribed
on bronze tablets outside his mausoleum in Rome. Although following Republican
precedent, it is a unique piece of evidence due to its sheer scale, causing difficulties in
interpretation. Clearly Augustus was writing with self-promotion in mind, but it is unlikely
that such a public document would contain blatant lies and statements made in this
passage are factually accurate.
This passage is a good example of the way the Res Gestae is written. Augustus describes
the buildings and monuments he restored very concisely but at the same time making
clear the magnitude of his achievements. Restoration was central theme of his principate,
both the physical restoration of Rome as described in this extract, as well as the moral,
religious and political restoration of the Res Publica and traditional Roman institutions and
deities. The restoration metaphor seems to have been more than a clever propaganda
trick, though it would have been obvious to his contemporaries that there had been a
fundamental change in the Roman state.
The content of the passage reveals very subtly the way in which Augustus wanted to be
remembered. What at first appears to be a bare list of the restoration and improvement
works Augustus commissioned in Rome, can in fact be seen as propaganda for Augustus
to display his clementia and pietas (towards both gods and family), as well as his respect
for the authority of the Senate, generosity towards the people of Rome and of Italy as a
whole.
The mention of his adopted father and of his sons is important. Augustus presents himself
as someone who cares for his family. This also comes across in the prominence he gives
15
to his completion of the Forum Julium with its temple of Venus Genetrix, the tutelary deity
of the gens Julia. This links to the important concept of pietas which was very important to
Augustus, and is emphasised by his claim to have restored 82 temples in one year.
Augustus also wanted to display his benevolence as princeps. As holder of tribunician
power he appeals to the people by listing the public works he had done for them, such as
repairs to the water supply system. These buildings did not carry prestige to be thought
worthy of repair by Republican magistrates and Augustus is reinforcing the view that Rome
needed monarchical government to sort out its problems. The restoration of civic and
religious buildings demonstrates Augustus’ auctoritas and pietas whilst that of the Via
Flaminia, an important road crossing Italy, symbolised his aim of uniting Italy. The image is
that Augustus’ benevolence stretched beyond the city of Rome and throughout Italy.
The use of the phrase ‘with authority of the Senate’ illustrates Augustus’ concern with
preserving the image of senatorial responsibility and independence. Although in sole
charge of the state Augustus wanted to show how he had restored the Republic, not
destroyed it. His rule was wrapped in the language of Republican Rome and this continues
to be used in the Res Gestae. Pompey, the great champion of the Republic, retains his
name on the theatre at Rome, again illustrating Augustus’ clementia.
This passage demonstrates very well the character Augustus wanted to portray to
posterity, an important consideration for any Roman, Augustus was a complex figure and a
master of propaganda. The Res Gestae as a whole can be read as a final publicity stunt
designed to make him appear as a wise and benevolent leader of a prosperous, stable
and peaceful empire.
16
5. Bibliographies and Referencing
All coursework must be referenced using the system described below, and must be
provided with a bibliography at the end. The point of referencing is to acknowledge your
debt to other people’s work and to enable the reader to locate the sources of your
information easily. There are all kinds of variations in referencing conventions, and if you
are taking other subjects you may find that they require you to use different systems.
5.1. Bibliography
The bibliography should list all the works that you cite, and any other books and articles
that you have consulted in the process of preparing the work, even if you do not refer to
them directly. The conventions for setting out a bibliography are as follows:

You should list works in alphabetical order by the author’s surname, and then in date
order.

For books, give the author’s surname, initial(s), date; title (in italics); edition (if not the
first); place of publication; publisher — e.g.:
Wallace-Hadrill, A., 1994. Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Princeton:
Princeton University Press.

For articles in journals, give the author’s surname, initial(s), date; article title (in
inverted commas); journal title (in italics), volume number; pages — e.g.:
Morris, S.P., and J.K. Papadopoulos, 2005. ‘Greek towers and slaves: an archaeology
of exploitation,’ American Journal of Archaeology 109, 155–225.
If you read the article online (e.g. in JSTOR or on the publisher’s website), you should
cite it in exactly the same way as if you read the print copy in the library; there is no
need to give the URL of the article or the date when you read it.

For chapters in books where each chapter is written by a different author, you
must list each chapter that you cite as a separate item in the bibliography, under the
author’s name, not the editor of the book. Give the author’s surname, initial(s), date;
article title (in inverted commas); editor(s), book title (in italics), pages, place of
publication; publisher — e.g.:
Foxhall, L., 2009. ‘Gender.’ In K.A. Raaflaub and H. van Wees (eds.), A Companion to
Archaic Greece, 483–507. Chichester & Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

For websites and electronic resources, see section 5.4.

Do not list ancient sources in the bibliography.
17
Abbreviations: The titles of journal titles or other publications may be abbreviated,
following the standard lists in the Oxford Classical Dictionary, L’Année Philologique
(http://www.annee-philologique.com/files/sigles_fr.pdf), and the American Journal of
Archaeology (http://www.ajaonline.org/submissions/abbreviations).
5.2. Referencing modern works
You should cite works by the author’s surname(s), date and page number(s), as shown in
the examples below. You should always include page number(s), so that the reader can
easily find the specific point you are referring to, unless you intend to refer to the work as a
whole. There is no need to use ‘p.’, ‘pp.’ or other abbreviations for ‘page’.
The three examples in section 5.1 would be referenced as follows:
book: Wallace-Hadrill 1994, 65–90.
journal article: Morris and Papadopoulos 2005.
chapter in book: Foxhall 2009, 498–500.
If you need to cite more than one item published by the same author in the same year, you
should differentiate them in citations and in the bibliography by adding a, b, c, etc., after
the date (e.g. Foxhall 2009a, 2009b, and so on).
Where to put the references: For Ancient History coursework, you may place references
either in footnotes or in brackets in the text (‘in-text references’). For examples, see recent
issues of American Journal of Archaeology (footnotes) or World Archaeology (in-text
references).
If you use footnotes, the footnote reference marker should be placed at the end of the
sentence if possible, or at the end of a clause; the reference marker should come after the
punctuation mark.1
Footnotes may also be used to provide essential information that would clutter up the text
or distract from the flow of the argument.
In-text references should generally be placed at the end of a sentence or clause, before
the punctuation mark, like this (Foxhall 2009, 498–500). If you mention the author’s name,
you can put the reference immediately after it, using just the year and page(s), e.g.
‘Wallace-Hadrill (1994, 65–90) argues that...’
If you take an Archaeology module (with a code starting HS2–), you must use in-text
references, not footnotes.
1
Like this.
18
5.3. Referencing ancient texts
Greek and Latin texts should be referred to by author, title (if more than one work by the
author exists), book number, and chapter or line number within the particular book. Book,
chapter and line numbers are standard across all versions of the same text, both in the
original language and in translations; they can normally be found at the top of or alongside
the text. For example:
Homer, Odyssey 11, 32–45
Thucydides, 4, 44
Virgil, Aeneid 3, 6–20
Do not refer to the page numbers of modern translations, as (unlike the book and chapter
numbers) the page numbers will be different in different translations. You should also give
the title of the original work rather than the title of the translation. For example:
Tacitus, Annals 1.64, not The Annals of Imperial Rome p. 53.
Ancient sources should not be listed in the bibliography.
The names of ancient authors and their works may be abbreviated (e.g. ‘Tac.' for
‘Tacitus’), following the list at the start of the Oxford Classical Dictionary. If in doubt, follow
the usage in standard works such as the Journal of Roman Studies, the Journal of Hellenic
Studies or the Cambridge Ancient History.
5.4. Referencing websites and electronic resources
There is no standard way of referencing online material, but you should always give
enough information to show the reader what the website is about and who produced it, and
to enable them to find it if they want to follow it up. You should also give the date when you
visited the page, as websites change over time and the content may be different when
your reader visits the page. Here are two systems of referencing that we recommend:
System 1: Treat websites like book chapters or journal articles. In the bibliography, you
should include the author’s surname and initial(s) (if known), date (if known), article title (in
inverted commas), title of site, web address (URL), date accessed.
Page with a named author and a date:
http://www.asprom.org/resources/Lullingstone/LullingstoneDSN.html
Bibliography entry: Neal, D.S., 1997. ‘Brief notes on the Lullingstone Villa mosaic.’
Association for the Study and Preservation of Roman Mosaics. URL:
http://www.asprom.org/resources/Lullingstone/LullingstoneDSN.html. Accessed 21
September 2014.
Reference as Neal 1997.
19
Page with no named author and no date:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/l/lord_elgin_and_the_par
thenon.aspx
Bibliography entry: British Museum, n[o].d[ate]. ‘Lord Elgin and the Parthenon
sculptures.’ URL:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/l/lord_elgin_and_the_par
thenon.aspx. Accessed 21 September 2014.
Reference as British Museum n.d.
System 2: Reference each website or electronic resource by number, e.g. ‘web source 1’,
and include a key at the end of your work, e.g.:
web source 1: Neal, D.S., 1997. ‘Brief notes on the Lullingstone Villa mosaic.’ Association
for the Study and Preservation of Roman Mosaics. URL:
http://www.asprom.org/resources/Lullingstone/LullingstoneDSN.html.
Accessed 21 September 2014.
web source 2: British Museum, n.d. ‘Lord Elgin and the Parthenon sculptures.’ URL:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/l/lord_elgin_a
nd_the_parthenon.aspx. Accessed 21 September 2014.
Note that electronic versions of journal articles should not be cited as if they are websites:
you do not need to give the URL or date accessed, as the article is simply a scan of the
printed pages and will not be updated over time. You should cite electronic journals in
exactly the same way as if you read the print copy in the library.
5.5. Referencing artefacts
If you need to discuss an object to support your argument (e.g. a sculpture or a pot), you
should include a picture of it if possible. For guidance on using illustrations, see section
2.9. If you do not illustrate the object, you should give a reference to a picture of it in a
book or journal, or on a website.
Whether you include an image or not, you should supply enough information to enable the
reader to identify the artefact. Some artefacts are sufficiently well known that you can
simply identify them by name, e.g. the Prima Porta Augustus or the François Vase. For
less well-known objects, you might include some or all of the following:






the title of the work or an indication of what it is
its place of manufacture and/or its findspot (if known)
the name of the artist or maker (if known)
its date
its present location (with its museum inventory number if known)
if appropriate, a reference to any standard works that it is included in (e.g. Beazley’s
catalogues of Attic black- and red-figure pottery).
20
Examples:

‘An Attic red-figure krater painted by Euphronios shows Sleep and Death carrying the
dead body of the warrior Sarpedon from the battlefield at Troy.’

‘The heroic ideal is reflected in a fourth-century pebble mosaic in the Villa of Good
Fortune at Olynthos, which depicts Achilles receiving his armour from Thetis and the
Nereids.’

‘The hunt is often represented on cups used at the symposium, such as a
Protocorinthian kotyle found on Rhodes (British Museum GR 1860.4-4.18), which is
decorated with a hunting-dog.’

‘A terracotta brazier from the Athenian Agora (Agora Museum P 19598) is a good
example of the portable cooking equipment that was used in Classical Greek houses.’

‘A funerary relief of the first century B.C. from the Via Statilia, Rome (now in the
Palazzo dei Conservatori) shows a married couple, who are thought to be freed
slaves.’

‘Textile production was an important part of a woman’s domestic role, as is shown by
the gravestone of Regina, from South Shields (Roman Inscriptions of Britain no. 1065),
which depicts the dead woman seated on a high-backed chair, with a wool-basket
beside her.’
21
6. Criteria-Referenced Framework for Marking Year 1 Coursework and Exams in Ancient History, Archaeology
and Conservation
Relevance to
question
Knowledge &
understanding
Organisation & style
Use of evidence
Quality of argument
Excellent:
70% +
High quality, scores
very highly on all or
almost all of these
criteria
Understands and
deals well with all
aspects of the
question
Very good range of
knowledge and sound
understanding, well
beyond the content of
lectures and set
reading
Clear and coherent
structure, points made
in effective and
ordered manner,
within the word limit;
good style and
effective referencing
Engages well and
consistently with all
the relevant evidence;
may well adduce and
discuss further
evidence
Clear signs of high
quality argument and
critical thought;
perhaps some signs
of independent
thought
Good:
60–69%
Competent and
effective work, which
shows many but not
necessarily all of
these qualities
Understands and
deals with many or
most aspects of the
question
Reasonable
knowledge and
understanding of the
topic and issues,
based on relevant
material from lectures
and set reading, and
maybe beyond
Generally clear
structure, points made
in ordered manner,
within the word limit;
mostly correct English
and mostly clear
referencing
Much of the relevant
evidence deployed
and discussed, with
clear indications of a
critical approach
Attempts to argue
relevantly and
consistently
throughout; some
signs of critical
thought
22
Relevance to
question
Knowledge &
understanding
Organisation & style
Use of evidence
Quality of argument
Satisfactory:
50–59%
Fairly competent
work, which shows
many or at least some
of these qualities
An understanding of
the question, and
deals with at least
some of the major
issues. May be
irrelevant or illfocused in parts
Basic to fair
knowledge and
understanding of the
period or topic; may
be heavily reliant on
lecture material or
one or two items of
reading
Some structure
evident, though may
be unclear in places,
or over the word limit;
English clear, but may
well contain persistent
errors; adequate
referencing
Evidence deployed at
least to some extent,
with some, but not
necessarily much,
critical analysis.
Some attempt at
argument and
engagement with
issues, but likely to be
undeveloped or rather
uncritical, or adopt
inconsistent positions
Poor but pass:
40–49%
Work which shows
some understanding,
but is deficient in
some or many of
these ways
Very limited attention
to and understanding
of the question; may
display confusion
and/or much
irrelevance
Some very basic
relevant information
about the period or
topic, but likely to
contain major
confusion and factual
errors, and/or to be
heavily derivative
from lectures or one
or two books
Some elements of a
plan, but may be
rambling or confused
or over the word limit;
English likely to be
poor with frequent
and systematic errors
and little or no attempt
at referencing
Limited, perhaps
almost no, use of
evidence, and little
critical understanding
Very limited
engagement with
issues or signs of
coherent argument
23
Relevance to
question
Knowledge &
understanding
Organisation & style
Use of evidence
Quality of argument
Close Fail:
35–39%
Work which is
severely deficient in at
least several of these
respects, or is in
places overdependent on others’
work
May be aware of the
area of the question,
but may miss the
main points, or be
almost completely
irrelevant
Severely limited
knowledge of the
period or topic; likely
to contain serious
factual errors or
confusions
Very limited, if any,
plan or structure; well
over the word limit;
English likely to be
very poor and
referencing confused
or absent
Likely either to fail to
use evidence
altogether or to show
serious
misunderstanding of
its nature
Likely not to have any
serious engagement
with issues and show
only the most limited
capacity to produce
coherent and relevant
argument
Clear Fail:
0–34%
Work which is very
seriously deficient in
one or more of these
respects, or is
seriously overdependent on others’
work
May show no
understanding of the
question, or be
completely irrelevant
May show virtually no
knowledge of the
period or topic, or
contain many glaring
factual errors
May have no evident
plan or structure, or
be seriously over the
word limit; English
may be very poor
indeed and
referencing confused
or absent
Likely either to fail to
use evidence
altogether or to show
serious
misunderstanding of
its nature
Likely not to have any
engagement with
issues or any
coherent and relevant
argument
24
7. Criteria-Referenced Framework for Marking Year 1 Group Presentations
in Ancient History
The following criteria should be used for assessing Year 1 group presentations. Please note
that the guidelines reflect a good/excellent group presentation.
 Delivery
The presentation should be delivered clearly (e.g. audible; intelligible; good structure). The
group should also aim to be engaging (e.g. make eye-contact with the audience; avoid simply
a monotonous reading of a script; convey the interest of the topic). Visual aids or handouts
may help.
 Group co-operation
This is the key element of the exercise. The presentation should be shared between the
members of the group, with each demonstrably pulling equal weight.
 Provision of information
The group should aim to be as informative as possible on their chosen topic, bearing in mind
that the audience will not be familiar with the set reading.
 Use of evidence
The group should engage well with the ancient evidence. They should show familiarity with it,
as well as being able to assess it critically.
 Relevance to questions set
Each topic has specific questions attached to it. These should be both made clear and
answered in the group presentation.
 Time-keeping
There is a time-limit to the presentation (10 minutes). The group should adhere to this limit
independently (i.e. not terminated by the seminar tutor), whilst also answering all the
questions set.
 Response to questioning
At the end of each presentation there is time for questions to be put to the group (5 minutes).
The members of the group should be able to answer any questions well: with relevance and
knowledge.
 Mark bands
70% +
60 – 69%
50 – 59%
40 – 49%
35 – 39%
00 – 34%
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Poor but pass
Close fail
Clear fail
25
8. Criteria-Referenced Framework for Marking Year 2 and 3 Coursework and Exams in Ancient History,
Archaeology and Conservation
Relevance to
question
Knowledge &
understanding
Organisation &
style
Use of evidence
Quality of argument
Top First Class
90% +
Outstanding,
potentially publishable
quality, scores very
highly on all of these
criteria
Understands and
deals very well with
all aspects of the
question
Outstanding range of
knowledge and depth
of understanding,
well beyond the
content of lectures
and set reading
Clear structure,
points made in
ordered manner,
within the word limit;
effective individual
style; correct English
and appropriate
referencing
Outstanding capacity
to engage closely
with and evaluate
evidence; ability to
deploy evidence from
wide areas, including
beyond the period/
area under study
Very clear signs of
high quality argument
and independent
thought; consistent
development of an
original view
High First Class
80–89%
Extremely high
quality, scores very
highly on all or almost
all of these criteria
Understands and
deals well with all
aspects of the
question
Exceptional range of
knowledge and depth
of understanding,
often well beyond the
content of lectures
and set reading
Clear structure,
points made in
ordered manner,
within the word limit;
effective individual
style; correct English
and appropriate
referencing
Exceptional capacity
to engage closely
with and evaluate
evidence; ability to
deploy evidence from
wide areas, including
beyond the period/
area under study
Very clear signs of
high quality argument
and independent
thought; consistent
development of an
original view
26
Relevance to
question
Knowledge &
understanding
Organisation &
style
Use of evidence
Quality of argument
Good First Class
75–79%
Very high quality,
scores highly on most
of these criteria
Understands and
deals with the main
aspects of the
question
Very wide relevant
knowledge and deep
understanding, often
beyond the content
of lectures and set
reading
Clear structure,
points made in
ordered manner,
within the word limit;
signs of an individual
style; correct English
and appropriate
referencing
Good capacity to
engage with and
evaluate evidence;
ability to deploy
evidence from wide
areas, including
beyond the
period/area under
study
Good quality
argument throughout,
frequent signs of
independent thought
and the development
of an original view
Low First Class
70–74%
High quality work,
which will show
some—but not
necessarily all—of
these qualities
Understands and
deals with the main
aspects of the
question
Wide relevant
knowledge and
sound
understanding,
perhaps beyond the
content of lectures
and set reading
Clear structure,
points made in
ordered manner,
within the word limit;
good style; correct
English and
appropriate
referencing
Good capacity to
evaluate evidence;
ability to deploy
evidence from wide
areas, including
beyond the
period/area under
study
Good quality
argument throughout,
clear signs of
independent thought
and perhaps the
development of an
original view
Upper Second Class
60–69%
Competent and
effective work, which
shows many or
some—but not
necessarily all—of
these qualities
Good understanding
of the question, and
deals with most
aspects of it
Good knowledge and
understanding of the
topic and issues,
based solidly on
relevant material
from lectures and set
reading, and maybe
beyond
Generally clear
structure and
appropriate length;
reasonable style;
mostly correct
English and
appropriate
referencing
Evidence deployed
throughout, with clear
indications of a
critical approach
Attempts to argue
relevantly
throughout, and a
tendency to
independent thought
and analysis
27
Relevance to
question
Knowledge &
understanding
Organisation &
style
Lower Second Class
50–59%
Satisfactory and fairly
competent work,
which shows many or
at least some of these
qualities
Some understanding
of the question, and
deals with at least
some of the major
issues. May be
irrelevant or illfocused in parts
Basic to fair
knowledge and
understanding of the
topic and issues;
may be heavily
reliant on lecture
material or 1 or 2
items of reading
Mostly a coherent
structure, though
may be unclear in
places or over the
word limit; generally
acceptable English
and referencing, but
likely to have some
errors
High Third Class
45–49%
Work which has some
qualities of knowledge
and understanding,
but deficient in some
of these ways
Limited attention to
and understanding of
the question, at least
in some part, but
may contain much
irrelevance
Some basic relevant
information about the
topic, but likely to
contain confusion
and factual errors,
and/or to be heavily
derivative from a few
books or lectures
Some elements of a Limited, if any, use of Limited engagement
plan, but may be
evidence, and little
with issues or
rambling or confused critical understanding coherent argument
or over the word limit;
English likely to be
poor with frequent
errors; referencing
may be poor or nonexistent
Low Third Class
40–44%
Poor work, with some
of these qualities, but
severely limited
A bare understanding
of the question, and
some answer to it,
but likely to contain
very considerable
irrelevance
Limited or basic
knowledge and
understanding of the
topic, with many
factual errors or
confusions; or may
have passages of
over-dependence
Little signs of a
coherent plan or
structure; may be
well over the word
limit; English may
well be poor;
referencing may be
poor or non-existent
28
Use of evidence
Evidence deployed at
least to some extent,
with some, but not
necessarily much,
critical analysis
Quality of argument
Some attempt at
argument and
engagement with
issues, but likely to
be undeveloped or
rather uncritical
Some, but very
Little engagement
limited, awareness of with issues or
relevant evidence,
coherent argument
with very little if any
critical analysis
Relevance to
question
Knowledge &
understanding
Organisation &
style
Use of evidence
Quality of argument
Close Fail
35–39%
Work which is
deficient in one or
more of these
respects
Aware of the area of
the question, but may
miss the main points,
or be largely
irrelevant.
Severely limited
knowledge and
understanding of the
topic; likely to contain
serious factual errors
or confusions, or to
be significantly overdependent on others’
work
Very limited, if any,
plan or structure;
may be well over the
word limit; English
likely to be very poor;
referencing may be
poor or non-existent
Likely either to fail to
use evidence
altogether or to show
serious
misunderstanding of
its nature
Likely not to have any
serious engagement
with issues and show
only the most limited
capacity to produce
coherent and relevant
argument
Clear Fail
20–34%
Work which is very
seriously deficient in
one or more of these
respects
May show virtually no
understanding of the
question, or be
almost completely
irrelevant.
May show virtually no
knowledge or
understanding of the
topic, or contain
many serious factual
errors, or overdependence
May have no evident
plan or structure, or
be seriously overlength; English may
be very poor indeed;
referencing may be
poor or non-existent
Likely to fail to use
evidence altogether.
Likely not to have any
engagement with
issues or any
coherent and relevant
argument
Poor Fail
0–19%
Work which is
hopeless or nearly
hopeless in one or
more of these
respects
May show no
understanding of the
question, or be
completely irrelevant
May show no
knowledge or
understanding of the
topic, or contain very
many glaring factual
errors; may contain a
significant proportion
of plagiarised
passages
May have no evident
plan or structure, or
be seriously overlength; English may
be very poor indeed,
and referencing nonexistent
Likely to fail to use
evidence altogether.
Likely not to have any
engagement with
issues or any
coherent and relevant
argument
29
9. Use of the Years 2 and 3 Criteria-Referenced Marking Framework in
Relation to Ancient History Independent Studies and Dissertations
These criteria should be used in conjunction with the marking criteria for Years Two and
Three. Note that these are guidelines for the Upper/Lower Second Class borderline.
Second Year Independent Studies are aimed at imparting to students the basic skills
necessary for undertaking work on an individual project and may be used as the
groundwork for a third-year dissertation.
 Choice and exploration of topic
Students ought to display an ability to focus discussion on a manageable range of issues
and either to explore these in depth where appropriate or to survey and synthesise
effectively the relevant material. Students who achieve this should be placed in the Upper
Second Class band at least.
 Knowledge and understanding
The project itself should display an appreciation of its broader historical relevance and a
knowledge of the period or topic and relevant issues. This should usually include some
discussion of secondary sources and, where appropriate, an indication of possible
directions for a dissertation.
 Organisation and style
Students should display an ability to organise and present their material and discussion in
a satisfactory fashion, without exceeding the word limit, and should demonstrate
bibliographic and referencing skills. Students who achieve this should be placed in the
Upper Second Class band at least.
 Use of evidence
Students should be able to engage with primary material critically even when the project
focuses on a single source, or a limited amount of source material. They should also be
able to deploy such evidence while taking into account the wider historical context.
Extensive use of such evidence may be required for consideration of marks in the Upper
Second Class band and above.
 Quality of argument
While we do not require, or even expect, originality, there should be some evidence of
independence of thought, and an attempt to construct coherent and logical analyses and
arguments based on the student’s own considerations and judgements of primary and
secondary material.
Dissertations should display all of the above qualities, capitalising, where appropriate, on
any groundwork provided by the independent study. This may indicate avenues for further,
higher-level, research. Particularly good and original pieces may approach Masters or
even publishable standard.
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