How difficult is it to get above 70%?

chezza262

I know all uni's are different but I am finding there seems to be a real reluctance to award an essay over 70%. Surely there shouldnt be the "i never give a 75%" attitude that I have been hearing over the last few weeks?

How much should we expect lecturers to help us get the higher marks?

03022242

i dont think they should help us, as by the time your in third year you should know what to do and how to do it, the marking criterias i found are getting slightly vague, everything you do beyond the module requirements have to be justified..

melancholly

unfortunately with essays, it's really hard to put your finger on what makes something really really good. it's about having a readable style with a clear line of arguement, referencing the right material and explaining it well, showing how all your evidence supports a position and giving succinct conclusions......

celyn90

I agree with melancholly on this one, it's really hard to say what makes an essay really good, but clarity and structure are incredibly important.

We were always taught that the right material gets the 2.1 and the right material plus the structure, plus the reasoning, plus the balanced well reasoned input from yourself, plus flair for writing and presentation gets the first.

I don't know if that helps, but the strongest essays that I have seen (as a student, teacher and examiner) are the ones that have something in them that makes them different and makes them stand out. I think it is also worth noting that strong arguements can be destroyed by tentative language and unecessary padding.

I always want my students to pass as well as they can and if they earn their +70% they get it without question.

studentphil

It is just something you have or have not got. Either you can do it and get 70 pc + or you can not.

It is crazy that essays depends on something undefinable or magical to what makes it good.

moneygum

They all have different ways of marking papers, which makes me laugh... :rolleyes:

Rosie75

studentphil wrote: »

It is just something you have or have not got. Either you can do it and get 70 pc + or you can not.

It is crazy that essays depends on something undefinable or magical to what makes it good.

There's nothing indefinable about it at all - you should be able to see a copy of your department's marking criteria. What makes a piece of work worthy of a mark in the 70s is, above all, originality. Towards the 80 mark, you're looking at work which is approaching publishable standard. For obvious reasons, most undergraduate work is not going to be in this latter category.

chezza262

I just find it quite confusing that after handing in about 10 assignments so far this year I have had marks that vary from 55% to 74%. I have written them all the same way - there seems to be inconsistency for the most part between lecturers, but surely they should all be marking to the same criteria?

with regard to help in achieving good marks surely if we are paying for our degree we should be encouraged and given advice on how to achieve the best marks as opposed to setting an assignment and saying get on with it?

studentphil

Rosie75 wrote: »

There's nothing indefinable about it at all - you should be able to see a copy of your department's marking criteria. What makes a piece of work worthy of a mark in the 70s is, above all, originality. Towards the 80 mark, you're looking at work which is approaching publishable standard. For obvious reasons, most undergraduate work is not going to be in this latter category.

I know that is so, but why then can university teachers not give students the check list for what to do for a 1st if it is all so clear and achieveable and not a bit supernatural?

Diminutive

If it were easy, then everyone would have firsts and a first class wouldn't be a first class any more!

studentphil

chezza262 wrote: »

I just find it quite confusing that after handing in about 10 assignments so far this year I have had marks that vary from 55% to 74%. I have written them all the same way - there seems to be inconsistency for the most part between lecturers, but surely they should all be marking to the same criteria?

with regard to help in achieving good marks surely if we are paying for our degree we should be encouraged and given advice on how to achieve the best marks as opposed to setting an assignment and saying get on with it?

That is very true, university departments never tell you how to do it or what to do. They just say get in with it as you say.

That is a serious flaw that not many in HE departments take seriously.