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Report marking criteria
The final year project is usually based on the design and implementation of a substantial software system. Project topics vary widely in scope and difficulty, and the assessment of the project will take this into account. Assessors will consider issues including:
- the complexity of the project
- the quality and detail of the report in relation to the problem addressed
- professional issues (including awareness of relevant ethical considerations)
- the presentation and structure of the report.
Note that these are not equally weighted.
The tables below gives a broad indication of the factors leading to a given mark, but it should be recognized that the mark is obtained by combining the assessment of a number of these factors. Comments refer to marks around the middle of each range.
Interim reports
- 85% – 100%: An outstanding report. The student will have performed a detailed analysis of the problem area leading to initial high-level designs for the system and a detailed feasible project plan. There should be clear evidence of relevant background research that is rigorous and scholarly. The report should be superbly organised and presented and lucidly written.
- 70% – 84%: Students will show a thorough understanding and appreciation of the project material. The student will have performed a detailed analysis of the problem area and a feasible project plan. There should be good evidence of relevant background research. The report should display excellent organisational and presentational skills.
- 60% – 69%: Students will show a clear understanding of the technical and professional issues involved and have analysed the problem area. There should be evidence of relevant background research. Some issues may have been overlooked but there should be a project plan which suggests the likely success of the project. The report should be organised and written to a reasonable standard.
- 50% – 59%: The report should demonstrate that the student has some familiarity with the project area. The presentation and organization of the report should be reasonably clear. There may be some signs of weakness, but overall the grasp of the topic should be sound.
- 40% – 49%: The report will indicate a basic understanding of the methods to be used and how to organize and present the work in the report, but will not have gone much beyond this. There may well be signs of confusion about more complex material.
- 30% – 39%: There should be some work towards understanding the problem area, but significant issues are likely to be neglected. There may be significant errors or misconceptions in the project.
- 15% – 29%: The project may contain some correct and relevant material, but most issues are neglected or are covered incorrectly. There should be some signs of appreciation of the project requirements.
- 0% – 14%: Very little or nothing that is correct and relevant and there is no real appreciation of the project requirements.
Final reports
- 90% – 100%: A truly outstanding project. The project outcomes (system, theory, empirical evaluation) should be essentially faultless, well-structured and carefully tested, proved or rigorously evaluated. There should be full achievement of objectives and evidence of original thought. The project objectives must be very demanding and there should be a wide range of cogently-justified project extensions. The report should be superbly organised and presented and lucidly written. The quality of the research and report should be equally high. The work should be of publishable quality in a peer-reviewed national conference.
- 80% – 89%: An outstanding project. The project outcomes (system, theory, empirical evaluation) should be essentially faultless, well-structured and carefully tested, proved or rigorously evaluated. There should be full achievement of demanding objectives and evidence of original thought. The report should be well organised and presented and clearly written.
- 70% – 79%: Students will show an understanding of all aspects of the project material, producing work without significant error or omission. Project objectives should be reasonably demanding and fully achieved. The report should display excellent organisational and presentational skills, and contain a thorough evaluation and objective critical reflection.
- 60% – 69%: The project should be competent in all respects. The project's primary objectives are somewhat demanding and should be substantially achieved to a reasonable standard. Students will show an understanding of the technical and professional issues involved. The presentation and organisation of the report should be clear.
- 50% – 59%: The project should be competent in most respects. The project objectives may not be very demanding but should be achieved to a reasonable standard. The presentation and organisation of the report should be reasonably clear. There may be some signs of weakness, but overall the grasp of the topic should be sound.
- 40% – 49%: The project will indicate a basic understanding of the methods to be used and how to organise and present the work in the report, but will not have gone beyond this, and there may well be signs of confusion about more complex material. There should be fair work towards the project objectives and the final report must clearly represent a development of the interim report.
- 30% – 39%: There should be work towards the project objectives, but significant issues are likely to be neglected. There may be significant errors or misconceptions in the project. The final report may represent little progress with respect to the interim report.
- 15% – 29%: The project may contain some correct and relevant material, but most issues are neglected or are covered incorrectly. There should be some signs of appreciation of the project requirements.
- 0% – 14%: Very little or nothing that is correct and relevant and there is no real appreciation of the project requirements.