Assessment Criteria

Individual Assessment Criteria

• Artefact Creation
• Listening and Appraising
• Live Performance
• Oral Presentation
• Performance Process
• Continuous Assessment
• Practical Essay
• Written Work

All assessed work within the Department of Music and Performing Arts is graded against particular assessment criteria. These criteria define the characteristics of work placed at various levels. For example, 'excellent' work is usually graded as First Class and will attract a mark in excess of 70%. Similarly, poor work may yield a grading of a Fail if it is awarded a mark below 40%.

Anglia Ruskin University uses a set of assessment criteria that can be applied to all assessed work. You can find those criteria in you Anglia Ruskin University Student Handbook.

However, as there are many different modes of assessment in Music and Drama, we have developed more specific assessment criteria to reflect the wide variety of activities you might be engaged in. Each of the files listed at the bottom of this page contains detailed assessment criteria, which correspond with the assessment information given in your Module Guides. You should therefore familiarise yourself with the relevant criteria when preparing your assessments.

In summary, graded work at each level will display some or all of the following characteristics:

First Class [80%-100%]

• Upper first-class work is characterised by an outstanding degree of independent research and distinctive originality. Work of this standard is in full command of its topic and capable of overturning orthodox positions or received opinion with strikingly new analyses or innovative creation. Upper first-class work is rare and exceptional; it will be a sustained demonstration of intellectual rigour, technical excellence, creative and imaginative flair and the highest standards of achievement and research proper to the field of study.
• Work at this level is exceptional and displays consistent deployment of all qualities discussed here. The work is comparable to existing exemplars of the repertoire or displays outstanding originality.

First Class [70%-79%]

• First-class work is characterised by independent learning and freshness of approach. Work of this standard fully explores the topic and is not afraid to challenge orthodox positions or received opinion where relevant. First-class work is outstanding and displays a selection or combination of the qualities of intellectual rigour, technical excellence, creative and imaginative flair and very high standards of achievement and research proper to the field of study.
• Work at this level displays a sophisticated level of engagement with the material and substantial attainment and expansion of pathway and module learning outcomes.

Upper Second Class [60%-69%]

• Work in this class demonstrates some of the qualities that define First Class work but not in as sustained a manner. An Upper Second Class mark denotes very good work, but it is not intellectually, practically or creatively outstanding.
• A criterion often used to distinguish Upper Second from Lower Second work is the quality and extent of detailed attention to the primary works studied on the module. An abstract or generalised piece of work must be of very high quality to gain an Upper Second mark.
• Work at this level will display clear engagement with course aims and substantial attainment of learning outcomes.

Lower Second Class [50%-59%]

• Work in this class is of average to good, and not merely passing, Honours standard.
• Work at this level will display acceptable engagement with course aims and satisfactory attainment of learning outcomes.

Third Class [40%-49%]

• Although weak, Third Class work is of passing Honours standard and should not be confused with failed work. There is little engagement with course aims and limited attainment of learning outcomes.

Fail [30%-39%]

• Although inadequate at degree level, work within the mark range of 30%-39% qualifies as a marginal Fail.
• Wok at this level displays little or no engagement with course aims and failure to attain most learning outcomes.
• The 30%-39% range is used carefully to indicate the extent of the failure and the work?s closeness to being of passing quality.
• In some circumstances, compensation rules may apply (i.e. resubmission of work or retaking the module may not be obligatory).

Fail [0%-29%]

• Work within the range 0%-29% is very weak and clearly fails to reach degree standard. Typically, course aims are ignored and no attempt is made to attain any learning outcomes.
• A mark of 0% will usually denote a failure to submit work at all.
• Work within this range cannot be compensated.
• Depending on individual circumstances and the requirements of the module, failed work at this level must either be resubmitted or the module retaken.