MA marking criteria 2021-22
General MA marking criteria
These are the 2021-22 academic year criteria. To refer to the new criteria please see general marking criteria.
Please note that there are specific marking criteria in place for the Dissertation, reflective essays (HST6089, HST681, HST6042), Research Presentation and Presenting the Past Group Project.
These marking criteria are to be read in conjunction with the advice given to students about the nature and purpose of the prescribed tasks in the module descriptions.
Distinction
90+
Candidates will demonstrate all of the qualities required for a distinction in the 70-79 range. Work marked in this range will push the boundaries of existing historiography and suggest major revisions to our understanding of the topic studied.
80-89
Candidates will demonstrate all of the qualities required for a distinction in the 70-79 range. Work marked in this range will in addition demonstrate intellectual originality and imagination, and include highly innovative analysis.
70-79
Candidates performing at this level should demonstrate a clear capacity for undertaking advanced historical study and an ability to handle historical concepts and methods with confidence; they should offer perceptive and critical insights into historical problems and an awareness of current debates in the discipline; show a capacity for independent thought; demonstrate their ability to offer informed and constructive analysis of the work of others and a sophistication and confidence in the handling of historical evidence. They should write fluent, lucid and stylish prose, which engages the reader's interest.
Merit
60-69
Candidates should show a comprehensive understanding of techniques in historical research and a practical ability to apply those techniques to their own work in order to interpret historical knowledge and debate. Their work should demonstrate clear critical acuity and argumentative skill, the ability to evaluate information, frame cogent arguments and handle conflicting opinions, demonstrating a reasonable breadth of knowledge. Their prose should be clear and effective for the task set, some developing sense of style and the emergence of an authorial voice are to be expected; technical presentation should be mostly accurate.
Pass
50-59
Candidates should show some understanding of techniques in historical research and will attempt to apply those techniques to their own work. Their work should demonstrate an ability to engage with existing scholarly work, to evaluate information, and make arguments, although these qualities may not be maintained consistently throughout the work. The candidates should demonstrate a reasonable breadth of knowledge, although they may have read more narrowly, or inappropriately, compared with candidates whose work is marked in the 60-69 range. Their prose should be clear and effective for the task set, although their style might lack fluency in places. They may not entirely have followed the guidelines set; there may be inaccuracies in the technical presentation of work.
Fail
30-49
Candidates will have failed to understand the task set; proved themselves incapable of writing grammatically accurate, clear English prose; will have read narrowly or inappropriately; will have failed to engage with historical argument or be unable to criticise what they have read. Technical exercises may have been misunderstood, or the presentational guidelines ignored; insufficient material may have been collected for analysis, or that chosen be of tangential relevance to the planned research.
1-29
No serious attempt to carry out the task assigned. No attempt at analysis. Little understanding or knowledge of the course.
0
Indicates work either not submitted or unworthy of marking.