Grading, Marking and Assessment

The grading system for coursework is given on the Faculty
of Arts site (http://www.arts.usyd.edu.au/current_students/undergrad/grades.shtml).
It is important that students understand both the way in
which work is assessed within the unit of study, and the broader policy
framework within which grades are distributed.

The Faculty of Arts policy on the distribution of merit grades requires
that departments attempt to distribute grades for Senior Units of Study
according to the following guidelines:

High Distinction (85-100%) 7%
Distinction (75-84%) 18%
Credit (65-74%) 40%
Total percentage of marks at Credit or above = 65%

This means that we expect to give 7% of students a High Distinction as a
final result, 18% Distinctions, and 40% Credits, and that 35% of students
may expect to receive a Pass grade for the unit of study.

The same distribution expectations hold for units with enrolments of 50 or
more students. Units with fewer than 50 students, and special entry
units, are likely to vary more in distribution.

For Junior Units of Study, the proportions are:

• High Distinction (85-100%) 5%
• Distinction (75-84%) 15%
• Credit (65-74%) 35%
• Total percentage of marks at Credit or above = 55%

Our assessment tasks, including the criteria and marking guidelines, have
been designed over a period of several years to produce a spread of
results roughly conforming to the above distributions. In order to
maintain consistent year-to-year and unit-to-unit standards, scaling may
be applied to grades on tests and assignments as well as to final grade
calculations, in accordance with University standards on HD, D, Cr and P
level work.

GRADE DESCRIPTORS
The following Grade Descriptors are to be read in conjunction with the
specific criteria for each assignment. Taken together, these will indicate
to you how we have gone about assessing your work.

High Distinction 85-100

• Intelligent critical analysis of evidence or sophisticated
  analysis of data;
• Demonstrates high level of initiative in research and reading;
• Impressive command of underlying debates and assumptions, and
  awareness of alternative analyses;
• Properly documented;
• Solid argumentation;
• Precise, clear writing and control of appropriate formalism;
• All criteria addressed to a high level.

Distinction 75-84

• Intelligent, critical analysis of evidence or sophisticated
  analysis of data;
• Demonstrates initiative in research and reading;
• Good command of underlying theory, debates and assumptions;
• Properly documented;
• Solid argumentation;
• Precise, clear writing and control of appropriate formalism;
• All criteria addressed clearly, and most to a high level.

Credit 65-74

• Good analysis of evidence or data;
• Demonstrates control of research and reading;
• Shows an understanding of the underlying debates and assumptions;
• Properly documented;
• Solid argumentation;
• Precise, clear writing,and control of formalism;
• Most criteria addressed clearly

Pass 50-64

• Satisfactory analysis of evidence or data;
• Demonstrates control of research and reading;
• Properly documented;
• Work is adequately written, with some grammatical errors; adequate
  control of appropriate formalism, with some errors;
• Most criteria addressed adequately

Fail 0-49

• Work not of acceptable standard
• Most criteria not clearly or adequately addressed;
• Written style inappropriate to task; major problems with
  expression

Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons:

• Failure to demonstrate understanding of content;
• Faulty analysis (e.g., internal inconsistency or failure to
  account for data);
• Indadequate argumentation;
• Failure to understand the theoretical framework;
• Gross lack of control of appropriate formalism;
• Irrelevance of content;
• Unacceptable paraphrasing;
• Absence of referencing where assignment requires this
• Unreadability (including major grammatical or structural
  problems);
• Late submission without explanation.