Interpretation of grades
The Faculty of Arts has uniform marking criteria which apply to every assignment, test and examination that is done. The grading system is divided into two parts:
The Faculty of Arts has more information on faculty wide policy on grades. But generally, the marks correlated to grades is as follows:
| Mark | Grade |
|---|---|
| 0-49% | Fail |
| 50-64% | Pass |
| 65-74 % | Credit |
| 75-84% | Distinction |
| 85% and over | High Distinction |
Language criteria
(Within the relative scope of each specific unit of study.)
| Mark | Grade | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fail | 0-49 | Students cannot communicate comprehensibly. |
| Pass | 50-64 | Students respond rather than interact using simple sentences with frequent hesitations and errors in vocabulary, grammar, language structures and syntax, occasionally resorting to English. |
| Credit | 65-74 | Students sustain communication through the exchange of relevant information and ideas, expressed appropriately, but with occasional hesitation and error, at times resorting to English structures. |
| Distinction | 75-84 | Students communicate effectively through the exchange of relevant information and ideas expressed appropriately but with some/possible hesitations and inaccuracies in vocabulary and syntax. |
| High Distinction | 85+ | Students communicate confidently and effortlessly (within the context of the target language as a foreign language) with possible minor inaccuracies including familiarity with and appropriate choice of register. Through the exchange of relevant information and ideas, the student interacts/communicates accurately and fluently using correct intonation and pronunciation with possible minor inaccuracies. |
| Near Native Proficiency | 95+ |
(Within the relative scope of each specific unit of study.)
| Mark | Grade | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fail | 0-49 | Students cannot understand even simple statements, questions and instructions. |
| Pass | 50-64 | Students are capable of meeting all survival needs within a limited range of topics. They are able to understand the target language expressed in simple syntactic forms and based on previously learned material. Repetitions and translations are often used to gain understanding. |
| Credit | 65-74 | Students are able to comprehend a range of topics presented in an easy, straight-forward format. Some repetition and translations are required. |
| Distinction | 75-84 | Students show the ability to understand sophisticated discourse patterns on a wide range of topics using normative, as well as some colloquial speech. |
| High Distinction | 85+ | Students are able to comprehend relatively complex discourse patterns on a range of topics and subjects. They demonstrate an awareness and sensitivity to subtleties of meaning, including word play, intonation and implications of the register used. |
| Near Native Proficiency | 95+ |
(Within the relative scope of each specific unit of study.)
| Mark | Grade | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fail | 0-49 | Students cannot produce grammatically and morphologically correct work. |
| Pass | 50-64 | Students are capable of producing material in the language, comprehensible to a native speaker, on a range of set topics, but with limited vocabulary and quite a few mistakes occur in structure and grammar. With guidance, students will be able to recognise, correct and improve their written proficiency. |
| Credit | 65-74 | Students will produce comprehensible written material on a wider range of topics, though still with a controlled vocabulary but with fewer mistakes in idiom and syntax. |
| Distinction | 75-84 | Though still making the occasional mistakes in the areas of vocabulary and idiomatically, grammar and structure, students at this level confidently produce a reasonably natural language which is sufficient to satisfy all social needs. |
| High Distinction | 85+ | Students produce fluent and idiomatic langauge (within the context of the target language as a foreign language) with minor vocabulary and grammatical mistakes, on a wide range of topics. They are capable of producing complex sentence structures and rarely lack the words to express their thoughts. They are sensitive to distinction of register (formal, normative, colloquial etc.) and can modify their expression accordingly. |
| Near Native Proficiency | 95+ |
(Within the relative scope of each specific unit of study.)
| Mark | Grade | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fail | 0-49 | Students cannot understand even simple written statements questions and instructions. |
| Pass | 50-64 | Students are able to understand relatively simple passages on set topics relating to every day language use. |
| Credit | 65-74 | Students show a good understanding of texts of a medium level of difficulty dealing with a range of topics. They will still have difficulties with vocabulary, idioms, complex grammar and structure and will frequently refer to bilingual dictionaries. |
| Distinction | 75-84 | Students are able to read with sufficient comprehension more difficult passages. |
| High Distinction | 85+ | Students can understand with occasional use of a dictionary the various texts required for reading. They are able to comprehend subtleties such as humour and word play, as well as passages incorporating non-standard language. |
| Near Native Proficiency | 95+ |
Culture criteria
In assessing written work, lecturers in the department will be looking for demonstrated effort, abilities and skills in the following areas.
Please note that individual units may have additional and more specific requirements and criteria. These will be made clear to students by the lecturer coordinating each unit.
- extent of research and reading;
- accuracy of knowledge;
- breadth and depth of knowledge;
- relevance of information to the topic set;
- sufficiency of evidence and documentation.
- ability to demonstrate a clear understanding of the problem or project;
- ability to evaluate the significance of the material researched;
- awareness/understanding of the different lines of arguments presented in the literature;
- ability to assess the validity/importance of different lines of argument;
- recognition of the implications of evidence;
- ability to use different methodologies relevant to the set written work: historical, sociological, literary, etc.
- ability to think critically;
- grasp of relevant theory;
- an ability to demonstrate an understanding of ethics and values relevant to the subject matter.
- judgement and initiative in reading and research;
- originality in use and interpretation of evidence;
- demonstrating an ability to develop a clear line of argument;
- independence in use of concepts and language.
- correctness of grammar, syntax, morphology and spelling;
- good sentence structure;
- effective use of paragraphing, including a clear introductory and concluding paragraph;
- clear, scholarly documentation in both footnotes/endnotes and bibliography (both of which are essential in all tutorial papers and essays);
- clarity of written style;
- originality and creativity of writing style.
All sources and quoted materials must be clearly acknowledged. Plagiarism will not be accepted.