The University’s Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Student Assessment (Coursework) Procedure detail the policy framework for assessment and grading at the ANU. The grades, numerical marks and standards set out in Table 1 of that policy apply to ANU College of Law coursework programs.
Clause 65 of the Policy sets out an obligation to review/moderate student results before they are finalised. That clause states:
The assessment tasks and the judgements made of student learning in a course are reviewed before the final mark or grade is approved to ensure that the judgements of student performance are appropriate, consistent, transparent, reliable and valid.
The method of moderation in the ANU College of Law involves the application of a mandatory distribution of grades guideline for all LLB/LLBHons and JD law courses.
ANU College of Law Grading Distribution Policy
The ANU College of Law will continue to work with a statistician and educational experts to advise on scaling practices and the development of a final scaling policy consistent with the use of criteria based assessment.
Scaling Guideline
Grades awarded for all LLB (Hons) and JD law courses are currently governed by the College’s Scaling Guideline (SG).
The Scaling Guideline has been effective from Winter Session 2018 as an Interim Scaling Guideline and formalised from 2020. This Guideline applies to all LLB (Hons) and JD courses, unless very small numbers of students in a course makes application of the Guideline not viable. It provides that the following guidelines apply to all scaling for law courses within the LLB (Hons) and JD programs (not applicable to LAWS8xxx courses undertaken in the JD).
Scaling Guideline Effective from Semester 2 2019
| High Distinction 90+ | At least 6% of students in the course. |
|---|---|
| High Distinction 80+ | At least 6% of students in the course. |
| Distinctions | At least 32% of students in the course. |
| Credits/Passes | Not specified. |
Grading Policy, Winter Session 2018 to Semester 1 2019
| High Distinctions | At least 12% of students in the course. |
|---|---|
| Distinctions | At least 32% of students in the course. |
| Credits/Passes | Not specified. |
Grading Policy, Summer Session 2015 to Winter Session 2018
In 2015 the College introduced a distribution of grades guideline that required, in classes of students of 50 or more, the final results for students in each law course (excepting Honours Thesis/Supervised Research Paper) conform to the following distribution.
| High Distinction (80 per cent +) | 8-12 per cent of candidates of which 50% will receive marks from 90-100%^(representing work that is “exceptional” by reference to all the other work produced in the course) |
|---|---|
| Distinction (70–79 per cent) | 26-34 per cent of candidates (representing work that is “superior” to the “good” work produced by candidates whose work falls in the Credit range) |
| Credit (60–69 per cent) | 30–50 per cent of candidates (representing work that is “good” by reference to the “satisfactory” work produced by candidates whose work falls in the Pass range) |
Grading Policy, Prior to 2015
| High Distinction 80+ | 2 – 5% of students in the course. |
|---|---|
| Distinction (70–79 per cent) | 10 – 20% of students in the course. |
| Credit (60–69 per cent) | 30 – 50% of students in the course. |
| Pass (50 – 59 per cent) | No quota for pass or fail. |
ANU Grading Scale
Grading scale: The uniform grading scale adopted by the University shall apply in each course:
| HD | High Distinction | 80-100 |
| D | Distinction | 70-79 |
| CR | Credit | 60-69 |
| P | Pass | 50-59 |
| PS | Passed Supplementary Exam | (maximum mark 50) |
| PX | Awarded Supplementary Exam | Interim Grade |
| DA | Deferred Assessment | Interim Grade |
| N | Fail | 0-49 |
| NCN | Non Complete Fail | (0 awarded for purposes of GPA calculations) |
| CRS | Course Requirements Satisfied |
Criteria for the award of final grades: The following descriptors elaborate on the grading standards as defined in Table 1 of the University’s Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy.
- High Distinction: work of exceptional quality, which demonstrates comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, mastery of relevant skills, sophisticated or original critical and conceptual analysis, and outstanding quality in clarity, precision and presentation of work
- Distinction: work of superior quality, which demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, proficiency in relevant skills, and analytical and conceptual ability of a high order
- Credit: work of good quality, which displays a good understanding of the subject matter and a sound grasp of relevant skills
- Pass: work of satisfactory quality, which displays an adequate understanding of most of the subject matter and a sufficient grasp of relevant skills
- Fail: work which is incomplete or displays an inadequate understanding of the subject matter or an inadequate grasp of relevant skills.