Contextual and Critical Studies: 2007/08STAGE 3

Grades and Assessment Criteria

GRADE / A / B / C / D / E / F / NS
DEFINITION / EXCELLENT
Outstanding / COMMENDABLE
Meritorious / GOOD
Fully Competent / SATISFACTORY
Adequate / THRESHOLD
Borderline fail / FAIL / NON-SUBMISSION
(Weighting)
CRITERIA
(10)
COMMITMENT & PARTICIPATION / Excellent commitment to attendance and participation at lectures. Exceptional effort to prepare & participate evidenced in critical notebook and scheduled seminars. / Commendable commitment to attend lectures and seminars, except where fully explained and supported. Sound effort to prepare & participate evidenced in critical notebook and scheduled seminars. / Good commitment to attendance at lectures and seminars. Absence is explained and generally supported. Good effort made to prepare and participate evidenced in critical notebook and scheduled seminars. / Adequate commitment to attendance at lectures and seminars with some unexplained absences. Contribution or level of preparation evidenced in seminars and critical notebook is satisfactory but light. / Attendance at lectures and seminars is generally poor (less than 50%). Acceptable reasons for absence are rarely provided. Preparation and contribution evidenced in seminars and critical notebook is minimal. / Attendance is rare and student has missed substantial elements of course. Critical notebook does not meet minimum course requirements. Little or no participation in seminars. / No attendance
(20)
APPROACH
STRUCTURE / Approach and structure to essay indicate excellent critical understanding and awareness of issues relating to the programme. Writing & content may be exceptionally creative or follow a traditional thesis, but in either case, suggest exceptional confidence and ability. Line of thought is wholly coherent throughout, leading to a clear and independently conceived conclusion. / Approach and structure to essay indicate commendable critical understanding and awareness of issues relevant to the programme. Writing & content may be creative or more traditional, but in either case, suggest clear ability. Line of thought is mostly coherent throughout, leading to a sound conclusion. / Approach and structure to essay indicate a good critical understanding of the programme. The overall structure includes key elements and provides a generally coherent framework for the discussion. Both writing & content are of a generally competent level. Overall the line of thought proceeds with reasonable logic and direction, towards a final conclusion. / Approach and structure to essay is satisfactory but with problems. Ideas have potential but could be better realised with further knowledge and understanding of programme. Structure may be satisfactory but have weaknesses in overall focus and coherence. Line of thought may be apparent overall, but difficult to follow, with weaknesses in the conclusion. / Approach and structure to essay is unsatisfactory. Although the response is intermittently relevant, it may seem uninformed or confused. Key issues need further definition, and the relevance of some sections may be unclear. Essay may drift or digress, rather than follow a consistent direction towards a conclusion. / Essay framework is not acceptable: writing and structure lacks coherency, introduction and/or conclusion is omitted, disregards or is irrelevant to, the question; key issues are not identified etc. Essay may appear confused and/or ramble. Content may not clearly relate to brief. / No work submitted for assessment.
(30)
RESEARCH & REFERENCES / Demonstrates excellent judgement, diligence and initiative in sourcing materials in essay and critical notebook. Knowledge of existing academic literature and other varied sources is excellent and up to date. Thorough familiarity with key writers and texts is demonstrated through confident referencing. Overall, clear evidence of an excellent range of research skills and exceptional command of the topic. / Demonstrates commendable judgement and awareness in sourcing materials in essay and critical notebook. Depth, breadth or focus may not be equivalent to (6) but there is sound engagement and thoroughness. Many key writers and texts are thoroughly sourced. Commendable use of referencing throughout. / Sourcing of materials is of a good standard throughout essay and critical notebook, indicating good knowledge of available academic literature. Bibliography will include some key writers and texts, and a reasonable range of other legitimate sources. References will be included and appropriate. Generally, evidence of effort and competence in applying an acceptable range of research skills. / Satisfactory effort made to source materials, but weaknesses are apparent. The review of available academic literature is no more than adequate – perhaps limited to a few standard and readily accessible works, or, over reliant on popular sources or the Internet. Overall depth and breadth is no more than satisfactory. Evidence of knowledge or effort may be lacking. Research evidenced in notebook is thin. / Knowledge of existing literature is barely adequate. There is over reliance on a single text or on an easily accessible research source such as the Internet. Personal opinion may dominate and there is minimal evidence of effort to apply common research skills. Evidence of research in notebook is very minimal or non-existent. / Sourcing of material is inadequate. Little or no evidence of effort or competency in applying research skills evidenced in essay and notebook. Notebook may be missing. / No work submitted for assessment

Contextual and Critical Studies:Stage 3 cont.

GRADE / A / B / C / D / E / F / NS
DEFINITION / EXCELLENT
Outstanding / COMMENDABLE
Meritorious / GOOD
Fully Competent / SATISFACTORY
Adequate / THRESHOLD
Borderline fail / FAIL / NON-SUBMISSION
Criteria (Weighting)
(30)
CRITICAL AWARENESS & ARGUMENT / Excellent critical and analytical skills in essay and notebook. Essay systematically assesses evidence, writers and ideas to construct an authoritative and persuasive response to the brief. The supporting evidence (including critical notebook) and argument includes well integrated analyses and reflection on own studio and/or other work indicating exceptional critical ability and excellent knowledge of relevant contemporary and past practice. / Critical and analytical skills in essay and notebook are well advanced. Overall, a commendable use of key points to support a response to the brief. There may be some supporting differentiation of writers, ideas and evidence in essay and notebook. Commendable and relevant critical reflection on own studio or other work may also be present in essay and notebook indicating sound critical ability and awareness of contemporary and past practitioners. / Good critical and analytical skills in essay and notebook. Overall, there is competent construction of a logical argument in essay. Evidence is well analysed to justify key points and support the argument. Personal opinion is usually substantiated. Evidence (including critical notebook) and argument may also include some reference to and critical analysis of, own studio practice or the work of relevant contemporary or past practitioners. / Adequate critical and analytical content in essay and notebook, but problems detract from the argument. There may be: limited provision and/or critical assessment of evidence due to limited research; unsubstantiated personal opinion; limited analysis and excessive description.
Critical reflection in essay and notebook may be limited or omitted, with little reference either to student’s own practice or to relevant work by others. / Inadequate construction of an effective argument in essay. Insufficient knowledge may lead to limited provision of evidence (including critical notebook); there may be over reliance on personal opinion or excessive descriptive writing. Little sense of structured debate or conclusion. Personal critical reflection in essay and notebook is likely to be missing, as is reference to relevant work by others. / Critical and analytical skills are absent in essay and critical notebook. There is no real attempt to construct an argument related to issues raised by the brief. Lacking in argument with no apparent awareness or discussion of relevant work by others in notebook or essay. / No work submitted for assessment.
(10)
ACADEMIC FORMAT & PRESENTATION
Introduces idea of creative and original presentation / Presentation of essay and notebook is of exceptionally high standard. May be original and creative, to establish a sense of ‘gesamtkunstwerk’ Bibliography and references are in correct academic format. Visual mterials are clear, appropriately labelled and well integrated throughout. English is articulate and demonstrates thorough grasp of subject terminology. Grammar & spelling are excellent. Essay is word processed in required academic format, neat and legible. / Presentation of notebook and essay of very good standard. May be original and creative, although to a lesser degree than 6.Adheres to following requirements with minor exceptions: essay bibliography & references are in correct academic format; visual materials are clear, labelled and well integrated; English is coherent throughout and displays sound knowledge of subject terminology; grammar and spelling are very good. Essay is word processed in required academic format, neat and legible. / Presentation of notebook and essay is good and effort is clear. With one or two problems, adheres to following requirements: essay bibliography & references are in correct academic format; visual materials are clear, labelled and well integrated; English, spelling and grammar are good; developing use of subject terminology. Essay word processed in required academic format, neat and legible. / Presentation of notebook and essay is satisfactory overall, but there are significant problems: essay bibliography and references are included but format may be incorrect; visual materials are included but could be clearer, better labelled or integrated; meaning is sufficiently clear, but English could be improved. Regular errors in spelling or grammar. Essay word processed in required academic format, generally neat and legible. / Presentation of notebook and essay is unsatisfactory. There are clear problems: essay bibliography, eferences or visual materials are omitted, or very poorly presented; English is difficult to follow and meaning is unclear; repeated errors in spelling or grammar; essay is word processed but physical presentation of essay and notebook is "scruffy". / Presentation of notebook and essay is unacceptable . Essay may not be word processed. or is very "scruffy" and/or illegible; essay falls far short of the requested word length; bibliography, references and visual materials in essay and notebook are omitted; meaning is wholly unclear due to use of English. Notebook is insubstantial or missing. / No work submitted for assessment.