Marking criteria (Reading & Writing) levels 3, 4, Int Acc

Each category may also be affected by considerations such as:

The willingness to take risks
The attempt to introduce sophisticated/complex arguments
The relevance of points made
The readability of the text produced
The completeness of the text produced

*text can be multimodal (i.e. can include picture, spoken text, print text, etc.)

Class	Scale	Mark 40%	Language: accuracy, vocabulary, sophistication	Mark 30%	Communication: Coherence, structure and ability to convey ideas clearly and effectively	Mark 30%	Content: Task understanding & fulfilment, relevance, depth of ideas and analysis
First	Excellent 1^st	100 (40)	Exceptional piece for level Exemplary use of a wide range of specific vocabulary, expressions, structures and idiomatic language. Exemplary use of advanced grammatical structures. Exemplary level of grammar and spelling accuracy. Style enhances text throughout.	100 (30)	Highly persuasive, sophisticated argument. Expertly structured piece of writing. Fully coherent and effective argumentation. Excellent use of register, fully appropriate to task.	100 (30)	Outstanding grasp of the subject matter. Outstanding understanding of the text*. Task fulfilled to the highest expectations. Highly original, varied and insightful ideas and illustration/ evidence.
	Excellent 1^st	94 (38)		94 (28)		94 (28)
	High 1^st	88 (35)	Outstanding piece of writing Outstanding command of syntax. Excellent range of topic-specific vocabulary, expressions, structures and idiomatic language. Outstanding level of grammatical accuracy with minor errors that are largely compensated for by accuracy and stylish manipulation in other areas.	88 (26.5)	Expertly structured piece of writing. Excellent use of register, fully appropriate to task.	88 (26.5)	Excellent grasp of subject matter. Excellent understanding of the text*. Excellent analytical approach to the subject. Task fulfilled to very high expectations. Excellent range of ideas and illustration/evidence.
	High Mid 1^st	82 (33)		82 (24.5)		82 (24.5)
	Low Mid 1^st	78 (31)	Excellent piece of writing Excellent command of syntax. Excellent use of complex sentence structures. Wide-ranging and varied topic-specific vocabulary. Highly accurate with occasional minor and/or isolated major errors. Occasional spelling errors. Language used naturally.	78 (23.5)	Rigorously structured piece of writing. Coherent and effective argumentation. Excellent use of register, fully appropriate to task.	78 (23.5)	Excellent grasp of subject matter. Excellent understanding of the text*. Excellent analytical approach to the subject. Task fulfilled to high expectations. Excellent range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
	Low 1^st	74 (30)		74 (22)		74 (22)
Upper second	High 2:1	68 (27)	A very good piece of writing Very good command of syntax. Complex sentence structures are attempted and well executed. Very good range of vocabulary and idioms. Generally accurate and fluent with a few minor and occasional major grammatical and/or lexical errors. Occasional spelling errors.	68 (20.5)	Coherent and reasonably effective argumentation. Very well-structured piece of writing. Very good use of register, appropriate to task.	68 (20.5)	A very good grasp of the subject matter. A very good understanding of the text*. Very good analytical approach to the subject. A very good response to the task. Very good range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
	Mid 2:1	65 (26)	A good piece of writing Good command of syntax. Complex sentences structures are attempted and generally well executed. Very good ability to use a range of appropriate vocabulary. Generally accurate and fluent with some minor and occasional major grammatical and/or lexical errors. Few spelling errors.	65 (19.5)	Coherent and reasonably effective argumentation. Well-structured piece of writing. Very good use of register appropriate to task.	65 (19.5)	A good grasp of the subject matter. A good understanding of the text*. A good response to the task. Good analytical approach to the subject. Good range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
	Low 2:1	62 (25)	A mostly good piece of writing Mostly good command of syntax. Complex sentence structures are attempted but are not always executed competently. Good range of vocabulary and idioms, but some imprecision may occur. Generally accurate and fluent but with occasional slips. There are isolated major grammatical and/or lexical errors. For the most part, these do not compromise clarity of meaning. Few spelling errors.	62 (18.5)	Reasonably well-structured piece of writing. Most ideas are well linked. Good use of register, appropriate to task.	62 (18.5)	Mostly good grasp of the subject matter. Mostly good understanding of the text*. Mostly good response to the task. Satisfactory analytical approach though this may be uneven. A fair range of ideas and illustration/ evidence.
Lower second	High 2:2	58 (23)	A reasonable piece of writing Reasonable command of syntax. Reasonable manipulation of the language with some awkwardness of expression. Some interferences from first language may be present in syntax and vocabulary. Reasonable range of vocabulary and idioms, but some imprecision occurs. Complex sentence structures are attempted but may be error-prone. Or largely accurate but rather simple sentences. Or mostly accurate but with occasional major errors. Errors do not generally affect clarity of meaning.	58 (17.5)	A fair attempt to produce a structured piece of writing though this is not always successful. Most ideas are linked. Register mostly appropriate to task.	58 (17.5)	Reasonable grasp of the main issues. Reasonable understanding of the text*. Reasonable response to the task but some points may not have been addressed. Illustration may be limited. Key information is clearly conveyed. Approach tends to be more descriptive than analytical.
	Mid 2:2	55 (22)	An inconsistent piece of writing Inconsistent command of syntax, which can be clumsy in places. Little or no attempt to create complex sentences, and these are frequently error-prone. Adequate manipulation of the language with frequent awkwardness of expression. Some interferences from first language may be present in syntax and vocabulary. Range of vocabulary and idioms is somewhat limited and some imprecisions occur. Persistent errors that may affect clarity of meaning.	55 (16.5)	Structure may be weak and/or unconvincing. Lacks focus. Register not always appropriate to task.	55 (16.5)	Some awareness of main issues but incomplete response to the task. Inconsistent understanding of the text*. Approach is more descriptive than analytical, Essential information may be lacking. Illustration may be weak, inaccurate and/or not always to the point.
	Low 2:2	52 (21)	An insecure piece of writing Insecure command of syntax, with some interference from first language. Limited manipulation of the language with frequent awkwardness of expression. Rare attempts to create complex sentences, and these are error-prone. Limited range of vocabulary and idioms. Persistent grammatical and/or lexical errors.	52 (15.5)	Lacks focus. Structure is weak and/or unconvincing. Register not always appropriate to task.	52 (15.5)	Some awareness of the main issues but poor grasp of overall picture. Limited understanding of the text*. Inconsistent response to the task. Approach is mostly descriptive rather than analytical. Key information is lacking and/or the piece contains some material that is irrelevant. Illustration is weak, not to the point, inaccurate and/or offered in lieu of argument.
Third	High 3^rd	48 (19)	A poor piece of writing Poor command of syntax, which may impede comprehension in places. Some interference from first language. Frequent inability to manipulate the language. Some sections are marred by persistent major and minor lexical and grammatical errors. Poor range of vocabulary. In the bottom range, comprehension may be hindered in places by awkward expression and interference of first language.	48 (14.5)	Vague understanding of how to present the ideas. Struggles to convey an intelligible argument. Inconsistencies in register may be present.	48 (14.5)	Vague awareness of the main issues. Vague understanding of the text*. Poor task fulfilment. Little evidence of analytical capacity. Key information is missing and/or inaccurate. May contain an amount of material that is irrelevant Little appropriate illustration and/or illustration offered in lieu of argument.
	Mid 3^rd	45 (18)	A very poor piece of writing Very poor command of syntax. Comprehension may be hindered in places by awkward expression and interference of first language. Persistent inability to manipulate the language. Overall performance affected by persistent major and minor lexical and grammatical errors. Very poor range of vocabulary.	45 (13.5)	Frequent recourse to padding. Vague understanding of how to present the issues. Very poor structure. Inconsistencies in register may be present. Struggles to convey an intelligible argument.	45 (13.5)	Little awareness of the main issues. Little understanding of the text*. Very poor fulfilment of the task. Very poor illustration and/or illustration offered in lieu of argument. Contains a large amount of material that is irrelevant. Key information is missing and/or inaccurate.
	Low 3^rd	42 (17)	An extremely poor piece of writing Extremely poor command of syntax, which impedes comprehension. Overall performance is affected by persistent major and minor lexical and grammatical errors. Extremely poor range of vocabulary.	42 (12.5)	Frequent recourse to padding. Very vague understanding of how to present the issues. Extremely poor structure. Inconsistencies in register may be present. Struggles to convey an intelligible argument.	42 (12.5)	Very little awareness of the main issues. Very limited understanding of the text*. Very limited task performance. Contains a significant amount of material that is irrelevant. Key information is missing and/or inaccurate. Hardly any illustration and/or illustration offered in lieu of argument.
Fail	High Fail	38 (15)	An unsatisfactory piece of writing Inadequate command of syntax, which impedes comprehension. Widespread inability to manipulate the language. Endemic major and minor lexical and grammatical errors predominate, which affect comprehension. Extremely poor range of vocabulary. Comprehension is hindered by awkward expression and interference of first language.	38 (11.5)	The argument is generally incoherent and/ or irrelevant. Poor or no structure. Work fails to meet the required standards. Inappropriate register. May fall short of the length required.	38 (11.5)	Inadequate awareness of the main issues. Inadequate understanding of the text*. Inadequate task fulfilment. Key information is missing and/or inaccurate. Poor or no illustration.
	Fail	32 (13)	A very unsatisfactory piece of writing Inadequate command of syntax, which impedes comprehension. Severely limited in every aspect: grammar, vocabulary, register, spelling.	32 (9.5)	The argument is incoherent and/or irrelevant, to the point that comprehension is hindered. Poor or no structure. Poor or no illustration. Work is significantly below the standard required at this level. Inappropriate register. May fall short of the length required.	32 (9.5)	Little or no awareness of the main issues. Unsatisfactory understanding of the text. Unsatisfactory task fulfilment. Key information is missing and /or inaccurate.
	Fail	25 (10)	A wholly inadequate piece of writing; Little evidence of grammatical / lexical competence. Comprehension is near impossible. Or not enough language to assess.	25 (7.5)	Work that falls well below the standards required at this level, and a total inability to write to the conventions of the task set.	25 (7.5)	Wholly inadequate grasp of the main issues. Wholly inadequate understanding of the text. Wholly inadequate task fulfilment.
	Low Fail	12 (5)		12 (3.5)		12 (3.5)
Zero	Zero	0	Essentially nothing of value.	0	Work of no merit OR Absent OR Work not submitted OR Penalty in some misconduct cases	0	Work of no merit OR Absent OR Work not submitted OR Penalty in some misconduct cases