Generic Assessment Criteria - Guidance for students
The University has recently reviewed and revised its Generic Assessment Criteria at both undergraduate and postgraduate taught level. These criteria ensure that at Keele we reward our students appropriately for their achievements and ensure as much consistency as possible across all disciplines in the University.
The Generic Assessment Criteria apply to all undergraduate and most taught postgraduate modules, including those modules that are part of degree apprenticeship programmes, Keele University International College programmes, Foundation Year, online-only courses, and on Keele programmes taught at international partner institutions.
We have included below some of the key questions students may have about this Generic Assessment Criteria, which have been worked on in partnership with the Keele SU officer team.
Frequently asked questions
Your work is marked using the 24-step marking scale, which includes 24 distinct marks grouped into broader classes of performance. These classes align with overall degree classifications used across all undergraduate and most postgraduate taught modules.
For undergraduate modules:
| Mark | Class |
|---|---|
| 70-100 | First Class |
| 60-69 | Second Class, Upper Division (also referred to as "Upper Second" or "2.1" |
| 50-59 | Second Class, Lower Division (also referred to as "Lower Second" or "2.2" |
| 40-49 | Third Class |
| 0-39 | Fail |
For most postgraduate taught modules*:
| Mark | Class |
|---|---|
| 70-100 | Distinction |
| 60-69 | Merit |
| 50-59 | Pass |
| 0-49 | Fail |
*where exceptions to the above table exist, for example in the case of some apprenticeship or professional programmes, this will be made clear to you through the assessment brief.
No. The 24-step mark scale is applied to single assessment components where an assessment of the quality of the work is made and a single overall mark is awarded.
There are some assessments, such as KLE tests, class tests, numerical tests, where an answer is either correct or incorrect and marks are awarded accordingly. The 24-step mark scale does not apply to these assessments and so you may, for example, receive a mark of (e.g.) 63% for a class test. This mark will remain and will not be rounded to 65%.
Worked examples
- A module contains two assessment components, (1) an essay, worth 20% of the module mark, and (2) a consultancy style report worth 80% of the module mark. For both assessments, the generic assessment criteria for written work should be used. The 24-step mark scale and accompanying descriptors should be applied to both pieces of assessment individually, with the overall module mark a weighted average of the two marks. For example, if the essay was awarded a mark of 68% (20% of the module mark) and the consultancy report a mark of 62% (80% of the module mark), then the overall module mark is 63%. Note that the overall module mark remains as a calculated weighted average and should not be adjusted to match the 24-step mark scale. It is therefore possible to have an overall module mark of any whole number between 0 and 100.
- A module contains two assessment components, (1) a KLE quiz worth 20% of the module mark, and (2) a podcast worth 80% of the module mark. The generic assessment criteria for presentations should be used to mark the podcast assessment. The 24-step mark scale and accompanying descriptors should be applied to the podcast assessment only. The marks for the KLE quiz are automatically calculated based on whether answers are correct or not and should not be adjusted to match the 24-step mark scale. The overall module mark will be a weighted average of the two assessments and again, could by any whole number between 0 and 100. The overall module mark should not be adjusted to match the 24-step mark scale. For example, if the KLE quiz was awarded a mark of 57% (20% of the module mark) and the podcast a mark of 62% (80% of the module mark), then the overall module mark in this example is 61%.
If a module has more than one assessment component, the mark for each piece of assessment is determined using the 24-step mark scale and then the marks are averaged, taking account each of the assessment components' respective weightings, in order to produce the module result. This is expressed as a percentage. Your overall module mark can therefore be any whole number up to 100 and is not limited to one of the marks on the 24-step mark scale.
In the first instance you should contact your module leader, or the person who set the work, and ask them to clarify whether the 24-step mark scale applies to that assessment.
There are three versions of the University's Generic Assessment Criteria at both undergraduate and postgraduate taught levels. One for each of the following types of assessment:
- Written assessments
- Presentation-type assessments (e.g. presentations, posters, podcasts)
- Reflective assessments (e.g. diaries or logs)
Your assessment brief will tell you which version applies to that specific assessment.
Each class of performance has generic descriptors describing expected quality. Your work is judged based on how well it meets these descriptors, and the extent to which it satisfies these elements. The person marking your work will consider it alongside the generic descriptors, to decide which class of performance the work falls into. The marker will then determine the extent to which your work meets the criteria to arrive at a judgement about the position (high, mid, low) within that class and assign a mark accordingly.
Yes. Assessment is based on an overall academic judgement, not a checklist approach. While your work may meet some aspects of the criteria at a high level, the final mark reflects the overall quality and consistency of your work across all criteria. This means that:
- Strength in one area (e.g. strong knowledge or good structure) may be balanced by weaker performance in another (e.g. limited analysis or poor use of evidence).
- Marks are awarded based on how well the criteria are met as a whole, not by averaging separate scores for each element.
- To achieve a higher classification, your work typically needs to demonstrate consistently strong performance across most or all of the criteria.
In practice, this ensures that the mark reflects the overall standard of the work, rather than isolated strengths.
Yes, in some specific circumstances. For some types of work (e.g. creating computer code, creative work, language tests) or in specific contexts (e.g. TNE provision and international partnerships) staff may adapt the criteria. Any adapted assessment criteria must follow the 24-step marking approach and reflect the classes of performance used in the generic assessment criteria as closely as possible. Adapted assessment criteria must also be approved by School Education Committee and be communicated to you via the assessment brief.
Markers ensure fairness and consistency through a combination of shared criteria, academic judgement, and formal moderation processes in line with Keele's Marking and Moderation Policy.
All work is marked against the same generic (or approved adapted) assessment criteria, which clearly describe the standards expected at each classification level. Markers classify work into a recognised band (e.g. First, 2.1, 2.2) and then decide its position within that band (high, mid, low), ensuring a consistent framework for judgement across modules.
Markers apply their subject expertise to make a holistic judgement about the overall quality of the work, rather than relying on tick-box marking. Marks are subject to internal moderation, where samples of work are reviewed by other staff to check that:
- Standards are applied consistently
- Marking is fair across different students and markers, and
- Feedback and marks align with the University's Generic Assessment criteria.
Where criteria are adapted (e.g. for specific assessment types), they must be approved through formal processes, ensuring they remain aligned with University standards. Together, these measures ensure that your mark is reliable, fair, and comparable with the work of other students, regardless of who marks it.
