Overview: Marking criteria

Everything you need to know about the marking criteria for Digital Society

[Image: close-up of cogs] How marking works on this unit. Image: Ryan McGuire, Gratisography.com, http://www.gratisography.com/terms.html

This page lists the marking criteria for each piece of assessed coursework. Under each criterion is a list of levels — you will be placed at one of these — with the highest at the top and lowest at the bottom.

First assessment: digisoc1

Identify an individual or organisation with a public online presence and critically analyse their communications through one or more platforms e.g. website, twitter feed

digisoc1 // Marking criterion 1 // from Learning Objective 1 (partial) / Learning Objective 2 (partial) / Learning Objective 4 (partial)

Find, critically evaluate and share information online. Understand the skills needed for an effective and successful online presence.

The candidate provided:

• [HIGHEST LEVEL] an excellent analysis, clearly explaining what makes an effective online presence and exploring the different elements of online communication that can be used to engage the audience
• a good analysis, with a clear attempt to explain what makes an effective online presence, taking into account the importance of different elements of online communication in audience engagement
• a satisfactory account, with some attempt to explain what makes an effective online presence and some consideration given to the importance of different elements of online communication
• a limited account with very little analysis of what makes an effective online presence and little consideration given to the different elements of online communication
• [LOWEST LEVEL] a weak account with no analysis of what makes an effective online presence and little or no attempt to consider the different elements of online communication

digisoc1 // Marking criterion 2 // from Learning Objective 5 (partial)

Use the internet and social media to develop your communication skills and share information.

The candidate showed:

• [HIGHEST LEVEL] a clear ability and grasp of how to write for an online audience, with a concise and engaging writing style, excellent structure, and appropriate use of formatting (links, headings, bullet points, paragraph breaks, etc.) to help the reader navigate the text
• a good understanding of how to write for an online audience, with a clear style, and an organised approach to structure using appropriate formatting to assist the reader
• a reasonable grasp of how to write for an online audience with some attempt to organise and structure the post
• limited understanding of how to write for an online audience, with poor structure, and little formatting to help the reader to follow the text
• [LOWEST LEVEL] no understanding or attempt to write for an online audience, with poorly structured text, and limited formatting making it difficult for the reader to follow

Second assessment: digisoc2

Using the blog format, address the opportunities or challenges facing an organisation or sector using digital media and technology.

digisoc2 // Marking criterion 1 // from Learning Objective 3

Make use of your existing knowledge and that of peers to solve and confront new challenges

The candidate showed:

• [HIGHEST LEVEL] Excellent application of knowledge/experience to the topic, including reference to personal knowledge and insight gained from peers, and a clearly-articulated, viable proposal as to how digital media/technology could meet genuine challenges or opportunities for this organisation/sector.
• Good application of personal knowledge/experience or insight from peers to the topic, and a clearly articulated proposal as to how digital media/technology could meet challenges or opportunities for this organisation/sector
• Reasonable application of knowledge/experience to the topic and a satisfactory proposal as to how digital media/technology could meet a potential challenge or opportunity for this organisation/sector.
• Limited application of knowledge to the topic, with only some attempt to address a challenge or opportunity.
• [LOWEST LEVEL] Little or no attempt to apply knowledge to the topic, failing to articulate how a challenge or opportunity might be addressed.

digisoc2 // Marking criterion 2 // from Learning Objective 1 (partial) / Learning Objective 4 (partial)

Understand challenges/opportunities in a ‘digital society’, apply this to an organisation or sector, present with awareness of intellectual property issues.

The candidate showed:

• [HIGHEST LEVEL] an excellent understanding of the topic, showing clear insight and awareness of the issues and a balanced, critical account supported by appropriate and correctly-attributed information
• a good understanding of the topic and an awareness of the issues, with a well reasoned analysis supported by appropriate and correctly-attributed information
• a satisfactory understanding of the themes explored but with limited analysis and/or adequate use or attribution of information
• limited understanding and awareness of the themes and little reference to or appropriate use of relevant information
• [LOWEST LEVEL] little or no understanding or awareness of the themes and no attempt to reference relevant information to support the discussion

Third assessment: digisoc3

Using one or more themes explored in the course unit as a guide, write a post of 1500 words in which you critically examine the implications of living in a digital world, including (around 500 words) a reflection on how you have developed through exploring these themes (for example, how this course has challenged you, what you have gained from it, how it may help you in future).

digisoc3 // Marking criterion 1 // from Learning objective 1 / Learning Objective 2 / Learning Objective 4 (partial)

Understand the key concepts of a ‘digital society’, the ethics of online information use and the skills needed to be effective and successful digital scholars and citizens. Think critically about information, practice self-reflection and collaborate across disciplines, applying learning to other aspects of academic, personal and professional life

The candidate showed:

• [HIGHEST LEVEL] an excellent understanding of the themes, showing clear insight and awareness of the issues and a balanced, critical account supported by references to relevant information on the topic
• a good understanding of the themes and an awareness of the issues raised, with a well-reasoned analysis supported by references to relevant information on the topic
• a satisfactory understanding of the themes explored but with limited analysis and/or adequate reference to relevant information on the topic
• limited understanding and awareness of the themes and little reference to relevant information on the topic
• [LOWEST LEVEL] little or no understanding or awareness of the themes and no attempt to reference relevant information on the topic to support the discussion

digisoc3 // Marking criterion 2 // from Learning Objective 5 / Learning Objective 4 (partial)

Use the internet and social media to develop your communication skills, share information and develop your online profile, with a relevant understanding of issues of intellectual property

The candidate showed:

• [HIGHEST LEVEL] a clear ability and grasp of how to write for an online audience, with a concise and engaging writing style, excellent structure, consistent and appropriate attribution and appropriate use of formatting (links, headings, bulletpoints, paragraph breaks, etc.) to help the reader navigate the text
• a good understanding of how to write for an online audience, with a clear style, appropriate attribution and an organised approach to structure using appropriate formatting to assist the reader
• a reasonable grasp of how to write for an online audience with adequate attribution, and some attempt to organise and structure the post
• limited understanding of how to write for an online audience, with poor structure or attribution, and little formatting to help the reader to follow the text
• [LOWEST LEVEL] no understanding or attempt to write for an online audience, with poorly structured text, little or no attribution and limited formatting making it difficult for the reader to follow

Please email digisoc@manchester.ac.uk with any questions or problems.