Marking criteria The table below provides an overview of the criteria that Each grade boundary has are used to mark an associated set of characteristics. Grade boundary 90-100% (Exceptional) Description Outstanding. The answer is extremely focussed and there is comprehensive engagement with the question. The student's own thinking is readily apparent, and a very clear answer has been reached. There is an in-depth understanding of the issues and a critical evaluation of the topic. The answer has an excellent structure and there is a coherent argument throughout. There is also very good evidence of wide, independent reading and there are no problems with grammar or syntax. 80-89% (Outstanding) Excellent. There is a detailed, focussed response to the 70-79% (Excellent) question and an understanding of the major issues is clearly shown. The student's own thinking is apparent, and a clear answer has been reached, which is well structured and shows good evidence of independent reading. There are very few errors in grammar or syntax. The answer shows a very good understanding of the issues, and a clear answer has been reached. The argument is clear and well structured, with good evidence of independent reading. There are few errors in grammar or syntax. 60-69% (Very Good) The answer shows a good understanding of the issues, and the question has been answered. The content of the answer is accurate and there is a coherent structure that is largely adhered to. There are few irrelevancies and some evidence of independent reading. There may be some small, repeated errors in grammar or syntax. 50-59% (Good) 40-49% (Sufficient) The answer generally shows a sound understanding of core concepts and the content is largely relevant to the question. However, there are occasional lapses in relevance. The reading is primarily based on module materials, and some assertions lack clear, supporting evidence. There is a somewhat loose line of argument, and the reader may be required to form links between successive parts. There may be some repeated errors in grammar or syntax. The answer shows some evidence of understanding the core concepts, but the content is not always relevant and there are deviations from the question. The structure of the argument could be improved and there are errors in grammar or syntax. 30-39% (Insufficient) An answer to the question has not been reached, but there 0-29% (Poor) is some appropriate/accurate material. The content may merely repeat taught input and there are some errors and/or irrelevancies, along with grammatical/syntax problems. However, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the student will be able to retrieve the assignment on resubmission. The answer has not met the learning outcomes and the content is not relevant to the question. The answer lacks coherence and there is little evidence of engagement with appropriate sources. The answer may rely on superficial, subjective, or personal statements.