Interpretation of Grades
The following is intended only as a general guide to the interpretation of grades in the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies. It is divided into two categories: language study, and culture courses.
Spanish language units of study
The following guidelines should be interpreted relative to the level of the unit of study concerned. In other words, the level of achievement required for each grade will depend on what students are expected to know and be able to do at their particular stage in the study of Spanish.
Pass: 50 - 64%
The student has maintained an adequate record of attendance at classes and has completed all major assessment tasks. Performance over the semester has reflected serious effort to learn new material while retaining command of old. Results in the final assessment(s) demonstrate sufficient mastery of the material studied to justify admission to the next higher level. However, oral performance in class is typically hesitant, with frequent errors of grammar, word choice and pronunciation. The student displays an adequate but limited understanding of written texts and audiovisual material. Written work contains grammatical errors (some of them serious), spelling errors and/or incorrect word choices. The student has shown basic competence in reproducing textbook models but has had limited success in adapting them to unfamiliar contexts.
Under Faculty of Arts guidelines, it is expected that up to about 45% of the students enrolled in a large first-year unit of study, and up to about 35% of the students enrolled in a large senior unit of study, will typically receive a Pass result for the unit as a whole.
Credit: 65 - 74%
The student has maintained a good record of attendance at classes and has completed all major assessment tasks. Performance over the semester has demonstrated success in learning new material while retaining command of old. Oral performance in class is fairly fluent and generally accurate; however, there are occasional errors of grammar, word choice and pronunciation, and/or consistent difficulty with one or more specific features of the language. Understanding of written or audiovisual materials is not always immediate but is more than adequate. Written work contains few clearly wrong word choices, but sentences are sometimes awkward or reflect insecure mastery of specific points of grammar. Performance in open-ended assignments reflects a creative and generally successful effort to extend expressive powers beyond the textbook models.
Under Faculty of Arts guidelines, it is expected that up to about 35% of the students enrolled in a large first-year unit of study, and up to about 40% of the students enrolled in a large senior unit of study, will typically receive a Credit result for the unit as a whole.
Distinction: 75 - 84%
The student has maintained an excellent record of attendance at classes, has completed all major assessment tasks successfully, and has shown outstanding competence in learning new material while retaining command of old. Few errors are made in grammar, word choice or pronunciation. Oral performance is usually spontaneous, sounds relatively authentic, and deploys idiom effectively. Reading and listening comprehension is usually immediate and accurate; writing is not only accurate but shows sensitivity to issues of register and style. Performance in open-ended assignments may show evidence of exceptional initiative in exploring extra-curricular resources and using them productively.
Under Faculty of Arts guidelines, it is expected that up to about 15% of the students enrolled in a large first-year unit of study, and up to about 18% of the students enrolled in a large senior unit of study, will typically receive a Distinction result for the unit as a whole.
High Distinction: 85 - 100%
High Distinction performance has all the merits of Distinction performance, but at a superior level. Oral performance is spontaneous, has an authentic ring, and deploys idiom effectively. Reading comprehension is immediate and accurate; writing is not only accurate but shows a high degree of sensitivity to issues of register and style. Performance in open-ended assignments probably shows evidence of exceptional initiative in exploring extra-curricular resources and using them productively.
Under Faculty of Arts guidelines, it is expected that up to about 5% of the students enrolled in a large first-year unit of study, and up to about 7% of the students enrolled in a large senior unit of study, will typically receive a High Distinction result for the unit as a whole.
Culture courses: Essays
The following guidelines should be interpreted relative to the level of the unit of study concerned. They refer specifically to essays written as part of the assessment for a course whose main focus is culture rather than language (including essays written in Spanish).
Pass: 50 - 64%
In general, a pass essay shows an adequate grasp of the basic information and has reached an adequate level of critical enquiry. It gives a general, though at times unsubstantiated, listing of arguments and states somewhat predictable opinions and ideas. It is written in adequate Spanish (or English) so that the meaning is generally clear. All sources and quotations are adequately acknowledged in a consistent format.
Under Faculty of Arts guidelines, it is expected that up to about 45% of the students enrolled in a large first-year unit of study, and up to about 35% of the students enrolled in a large senior unit of study, will typically receive a Pass result for the unit as a whole.
Credit: 65 - 74%
In general, a credit essay shows an intelligent understanding of the main factual material and is based on an analytical approach to the subject matter. The arguments it puts forward are supported with well-selected evidence from the text(s), and the student also demonstrate some knowledge of secondary material. Ideas are presented clearly and the essay is written in a fluent style. All sources and quotations are fully acknowledged in a consistent format.
Under Faculty of Arts guidelines, it is expected that up to about 35% of the students enrolled in a large first-year unit of study, and up to about 40% of the students enrolled in a large senior unit of study, will typically receive a Credit result for the unit as a whole.
Distinction: 75 - 84%
A distinction essay has the merits of a credit essay, but at a superior level. It reveals a thorough knowledge of relevant factual material and reflects an analytical ability to present relevant ideas and arguments in a structured fashion and with intellectual edge. It displays a critical knowledge of related scholarship on the subject and takes an independent or even original stance on the issue. It is written in a lucid and clear-headed style.
Under Faculty of Arts guidelines, it is expected that up to about 15% of the students enrolled in a large first-year unit of study, and up to about 18% of the students enrolled in a large senior unit of study, will typically receive a Distinction result for the unit as a whole.
High Distinction: 85 - 100%
A high distinction essay has the merits of a distinction essay, but at a superior level. In addition, it is characterised by a high degree of originality and written in excellent academic style. It may suggest that the author has research potential in such ways as the following:
- Critical insights into the work of one or more established scholars;
- The proposal of a new perspective from which to view a problem;
- The identification of a problem not adequately recognised in the existing literature;
- Making an original contribution to knowledge in the subject area.
Criteria for assessment of written and oral language work
The following is a summary of features on which tutors will concentrate when marking your written language work and assessing your oral performance.
These notes should be read in conjunction with the criteria for the interpretation of grades.
Each type of linguistic activity requires different skills, and so each task undertaken by you requires a different set of criteria to be used by your tutor. The following sections cover the main types of tasks set by the department.
- Written language work: essays/reports/projects
Your tutor will pay particular attention to:- content, asking how appropriate it is; how well the background has been researched; how successfully the arguments are presented and whether these are backed up by relevant examples. The content may also reflect personal experience or comment.
- the way in which the work has been put together, i.e. its structure. S/he will be looking for clarity and coherence; for a logical development of your ideas, which will be expressed through a brief yet relevant introduction and conclusion, and, of course, through a substantial and well-organised central section.
- the way you express yourself in Spanish, with accuracy, fluency and a good range of vocabulary being especially important.
- Written language work: reading comprehension/commentary/summary (with answers in Spanish)
- Here the tutor will pay attention to basic qualities of the way you express yourself, especially accuracy, fluency and the use and range of vocabulary.
- S/he will also look for evidence of your sensitivity to registers and idiom in both English and Spanish.
- Your ability to cope intellectually with the task you have been set will also be evaluated. For example, whether you have correctly understood the text, how well you present the information required, how efficiently you synthesise or summarise arguments, or how well you are able to create arguments of your own based on ideas presented in the original text.
- Oral language work: presentations in Spanish.
- Your tutor will listen to the way you deliver your presentation, and in particular to the clarity and overall structure; the breadth and depth of the coverage; the accent, intonation, accuracy and authenticity of the spoken language.
- S/he will also be noting personal and social aptitudes displayed. How confidently do you present yourself? How clearly do you convey material to listeners? How sensitive are you to their needs, and to your own 'performance' while speaking?
- Oral language work: other types of oral test
- The above note on delivery (see 3, above) applies equally to more 'conventional' forms of oral examination. Competence in the areas of accuracy, fluency, idiomatic knowledge, vocabulary and, of course, emulation of native-speaker pronunciation will be judged.
- Here too we will also be judging intellectual competence. How well do you engage with the questions posed to you? How skilfully do you maintain the dialogue? How widely are you prepared to range in terms of knowledge and argument?