Undergraduate Marking Criteria

Performance is classified into 5 broad categories of: First; Upper Second (2.1); Lower Second (2.2);
Third; Fail. There is a range of marks for each of the classes: marking criteria are provided in Table 1
below. Staff should also provide students with a more specific criteria relating to their particular
assignment.

Table 1: Marking Criteria

Class Comprehension Analysis Critique Presentation

(Marks)
First Demonstrates command Presents a tightly- Understands and Provides a thorough and
of the subject matter focused, relevant and evaluates relevant consistent deployment
including, where well-structured answer arguments, debates of techniques of
appropriate, with full and/or academic
methodological, and accurate development interpretations in a writing with particular
technical and of concepts/theories, and manner that reference to structure,
scholarship skills. excellent use of evidence. demonstrates a referencing/sourcing
developed capacity and
for independent thought. spelling/grammar.
This may amount to an
extension of existing
arguments, debates and
/or interpretations.
2:1 Demonstrates good Presents a coherent and Understands and Provides a good
appreciation of the closely-argued answer evaluates relevant deployment of
subject matter including, with good structure, arguments, debates techniques of academic
where appropriate, accurate use of and/or writing with particular
methodological, concepts/theories, and interpretations in a reference to structure,
technical and good use of evidence. manner that referencing/sourcing
scholarship skills. demonstrates a capacity and
for independent thought. spelling/grammar.
2:2 Demonstrates an Presents an answer to the Understands and Acknowledges and
understanding of core question taking into reproduces relevant employs techniques of
aspects of the subject account appropriate arguments, debates academic writing with
matter including, where structure, development of and/or particular reference to
appropriate, concepts/theories and interpretations. structure,
methodological, reasonable use of referencing/sourcing
technical and evidence. and
scholarship skills. spelling/grammar.

Third Demonstrates some Shows an understanding Demonstrates some Shows awareness of

familiarity with the of the question with some awareness of relevant techniques of academic
subject matter including, structure, knowledge of arguments, debates, writing with particular
where appropriate, concepts/theories and/or interpretations. reference to structure,
methodological, and use of evidence. referencing/sourcing
technical and and
scholarship issues. spelling/grammar.

Fail Demonstrates little Demonstrates a poor Demonstrates little Provides a poor

evidence of familiarity grasp of the question with awareness of relevant demonstration of
with the subject matter loose structure, little arguments, debates, techniques of academic
including, where knowledge of and/or writing with particular
appropriate, concepts/theories and interpretations. reference to structure,
methodological, inadequate use of referencing/sourcing
technical and evidence and
scholarship skills. spelling/grammar.

Elizabeth Jones: September 2017

 The 20-point scale
The 20-point scale is a University-wide marking scale that has been adapted from the 17-point scale,
which was in place from 2010. It is based on a mapping of the five broad class categories into a 20-
point marking scale, as set out in the table below.
These procedures do not apply to quantitative problems or short-answer questions, which are marked
using the whole range of marks between 0 and 100. The 20-point marking scale applies to essay-type
questions (both coursework and examination).
For example, an essay which is deemed to be an Upper Second class piece of work may be awarded
only the mark of 62 or 65 or 68 within the range 60 to 69, according to whether the work is judged to
be of low, medium or high worth, respectively, within the corresponding class. One of the motivations
for the scale is to encourage essay markers to use higher marks within the first class range and lower
marks in the fail range.
For those modules in which the examination paper is made up of a combination of essay-type
questions and quantitative problems or short-answer questions, the 20-point scale is relevant only for
the essay elements. The final mark will continue to emerge as an aggregation of individual marks,
where these individual marks have been obtained in different ways. Note that this means that the
aggregate mark itself is not constrained to be one of the 20 marks on the scale.

Table 2: 20-point marking scale and descriptors

Class Scale Mark Descriptor

First Excellent 100 Exceptional work of the highest quality, demonstrating excellent knowledge
1st and understanding, analysis, organisation, accuracy, relevance, presentation
94 and appropriate skills. At final-year level, work may achieve or be close to
publishable material.
High 1st 88 Very high quality work demonstrating excellent knowledge and
understanding, analysis, organisation, accuracy, relevance, presentation, and
Upper 82 appropriate skills. Work which may extend existing debates or
Mid 1st interpretations.
Lower 78
Mid 1st
Low 1st 74
Upper High 2:1 68 High quality work demonstrating good knowledge and understanding,
Second Mid 2:1 65 analysis, organisation, accuracy, relevance, presentation and appropriate
(2.1) Low 2:1 62 skills.
Lower High 2:2 58 Competent work, demonstrating reasonable knowledge and understanding,
Second Mid 2:2 55 some analysis, organisation, accuracy, relevance, presentation and
(2.2) Low 2:2 52 appropriate skills.
Third High 3rd 48 Work of limited quality, demonstrating some relevant knowledge and
Mid 3rd 45 understanding.
Low 3rd 42
Fail High Fail 38 Work is significantly below the standard required for the appropriate stage
(sub of an Honours degree. Some evidence of study and some knowledge and
honours) evidence of understanding but subject to very serious omissions and errors.
Fail 32 Work is significantly below the standard required for the appropriate stage
of an Honours degree. Some evidence of study and some knowledge and
evidence of understanding but subject to very serious omissions and errors.
25 Poor quality work well below the standards required for the appropriate
Low Fail 12 stage of an Honours degree.
Zero Zero 0

Elizabeth Jones: September 2017