Essay marking criteria

Marked in accordance with the Senate Scale.

Please note that categories (‘Research’, depth, detail, understanding, analysis and synthesis’ etc.) are not equally weighted and weighting may vary from one
assignment to another.

Poor (<40) Satisfactory (40s) Fair (50s) Good (60s) Very good (70s) Excellent (80+)
Research Unsatisfactory level Barely satisfactory Fair level of Good level of Very good level of Excellent level of
depth, detail, of research. level of research. research. Fair research. Good research. Very research.
understanding, Unsatisfactory Barely satisfactory understanding and understanding and understanding and Excellent
analysis and understanding and understanding and analysis. analysis. analysis. understanding
synthesis analysis. Major analysis. Some significant Lacks some depth. May have minor and analysis.
omissions or errors. Very significant omissions or errors. Some omissions omissions and Impressive
Research not omissions or errors. Research and errors. errors. command of the
integrated into the Research poorly imperfectly linked to Research directed Information, detail topic.
account or not linked to the essay the essay topic and at the essay topic and ideas from Some original
relevant to the topic. topic. discussion. and used to aid the research linked well thinking.
Over use of lengthy discussion. to the flow of
direct quotes from discussion in the
references. essay.
Referencing There are no There are few Some information is All information is All information is As 70s plus a
and references or references and not clearly clearly supported by clearly supported by sophisticated
acknowledging references are to citations. Much supported by a cited cited references. cited references. integration of
research inappropriate information is not reference. Harvard Harvard style has Harvard style has referencing with
sources (e.g. clearly supported by style used but there been followed with been followed with sentence and
Wikipedia or other a cited reference. are errors, such as few errors. no errors. paragraph
websites). Many paragraphs references not listed structure that
have only one alphabetically, enables a flow of
citation. some references ideas.
Incorrect (non- incomplete,
Harvard) formatting style is inconsistent.
has been used.
Figures No figures or no Some figures but Fair use of figures Good figures used High-quality figures As 70s with no
appropriate figures. there are parts but still some appropriately, used appropriately, significant
where one would omissions. Quality supporting and supporting and omissions or
have been useful of figures may be extending text to extending text to errors. Diagrams
but none is variable, lacking good effect, but with very good effect. may be hand
included. Poor clarity or containing some room for drawn.
 quality figures. errors. improvement.
Structure No introduction or Little introduction or There is an There is an Clear introduction A clear
conclusion. conclusion. introduction and a introduction and a and conclusion. All introduction and
Paragraph structure Paragraphs are an conclusion, but conclusion. Most paragraphs are very conclusion.
is absent. uneven size. these are either too paragraphs are well well constructed Each paragraph
There are one- There are virtually long or too short. constructed. with clear topics. has its own
sentence no topic sentences. Paragraphs are an Paragraphs keep to There is a clear evidence-based
paragraphs. There are no clear uneven size. one topic each. structure to the argument which
subjects for the There are no clear information within links to the title
paragraphs. subjects for the each paragraph. and flow of the
paragraphs. idea/argument.
Concluding the There is no The conclusion very The conclusion tries The conclusion to As 60s but going As 70s but to a
essay conclusion to the brief and may be no to bring together brings together the beyond this, greater extent,
essay. more than a and extend and preceding perhaps referencing often evidencing
summary of the what has been said discussion other areas of broad
preceding essay. but does so with effectively, referring biology or future understanding.
only limited back to the research or
effectiveness. introduction. application.
General writing Major errors in Major errors in Many errors in A few minor errors Grammar and A sophisticated
grammar and grammar and grammar and in grammar and spelling are writing style.
spelling so that spelling so that spelling but spelling. excellent. Excellent use of
important elements some meaning is meaning is clear. Most sentences are Ideas are clearly vocabulary.
of meaning are lost. lost. Sentences ramble well written. expressed.
and try to cover Sentences are well
several points. balanced and do
not ramble.
The overall It is hard to follow Ideas and Ideas and The essay reads The essay is really The essay is a joy
interest of the the discussion. information often information well. interesting to read to read.
essay – is it a Ideas do not link disjointed but some somewhat Information and and flows well. Full of thoughtful
good read? together. of the discussion is disjointed but ideas were There were some sections.
It is a hard read. still clear. discussion is still discussed well. thoughtful sections. Some original
Quite often it is clear. Not always thoughts based on
difficult to follow. easy to follow the well-researched
flow. evidence.
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