Level 7 Marking Criteria

LLM International Business Law (LLMIL), LLM International Law, Conflict, Security and Human Rights (LCSHR), Master of Laws (MLAWS),
Independent Legal Research Project (40 credits)

Domains: 100-86% 85-70% 69-60% 59-50% 49-40% 39-0%

Distinction Distinction Merit Pass Fail Fail

Theory and Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates a Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates

Principles excellent very good, good critical satisfactory insufficient limited, very
knowledge of and critical understanding of selection and critique, sporadic limited or fails to
Select, critique, effective use and understanding, wide and relevant critique of awareness, and demonstrate
and apply mastery of new, effective use, and theoretical relevant key limited selection of awareness of key
relevant theory theoretical or mastery of approaches key concepts, key concepts, concepts,
for investigating practical theoretical and concepts and key theoretical theoretical theoretical
complex issues approaches to practical debates and approaches, and approaches, and approaches, and
and research the identification approaches. The utilises them key debates and key debates. These key debates and
questions of relevant issues knowledge base effectively uses most of may not always be this is not always
is used them used effectively or applied
appropriately and appropriately. appropriately. appropriately or
consistently used consistently
throughout.

Research/ The selection and Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates a

Information depth of very good, good satisfactory insufficient limited, poor,
including engagement with engagement with engagement with understanding evidence of inappropriate, or
identification of the source and critical use of source material and engagement engagement with inaccurate
issues material appropriate and research with appropriate source selection of
/literature is methods. Very methods and literature, and material/literature, source material
Work excellent and good consistent shows methods. Shows and methods. and methods.
independently to comprehensive. evidence of independent some Insufficient Lacks evidence of
select, devise, Demonstrates independent thought but may independent appropriate appropriate use
apply and coherent, critical thought or have a few thought but may research tools and critical
critically evaluate evaluation of reasoning omissions. have omissions. selected. evaluation of
appropriate evidence and throughout. Analysis is very There is some Insufficient information.
methods and methods. Selection and use good and work analysis and evidence of Limited evidence
tools for Demonstrates of source well presented. evidence of independent of independent
information independent material is very independent thought or critical thought or
collection for an thinking and good but lacks reasoning insight. reasoning
extended piece of reasoning. the polish of the demonstrated.
research Analysis of highest band.
original Analysis of
information, original
where provided, information,
is polished and where provided,
well presented. is very well
presented.

Analysis and
Interpretation Excellent, Very good, Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates only Over reliance on
detailed critical detailed, good evidence of adequate basic evidence of description at the
Examine analysis and systematic critical systematic critical evidence of critical analysis and expense of
problems and interpretation of analysis and analysis and critical analysis interpretation of critical analysis
issues critically the material interpretation of interpretation of and the material and
and in detail resulting in the material the material interpretation of resulting in weak interpretation; or
using relevant illuminating, and resulting in well- resulting in the material conclusions. little or no
theoretical elegant reasoned reasoned resulting in some evidence of
perspectives and conclusions conclusions conclusions. measured Reliance on critical analysis
research extending extending Consistent conclusions. description rather resulting in
methods to knowledge in the knowledge in the consideration of Some than critique. simplistic
support valid area. Appropriate area. complex ideas consideration of Inconsistent use of conclusions.
interpretations use of theoretical Demonstrates evidenced. complex ideas theoretical Wrong or
perspectives and robust use of Good use of evidenced. perspectives and incomplete use of
research methods theoretical theoretical Adequate research methods theoretical
to support robust perspectives, perspectives, new evidence of the and minimal use of perspectives and
and detailed new concepts, or concepts, ideas use of some new concepts, research
interpretation. research and research appropriate ideas, or theories. methods to
Demonstrates methods to methods to theoretical support the
robust support support perspectives and interpretation
consideration of interpretation interpretation. research
complex ideas, methods to
new concepts, or support
theories interpretation.
throughout.

Application Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates

excellent, very good use of good awareness adequate inadequate unsatisfactory,
Use theories, application of legal principles, and application of awareness and application of legal poorly informed
methodology in legal principles, and theories legal principles application of principles and and inadequate
informed and and theories underpinning and theories and legal principles theories to application, or
valid ways, rigorously and practice. how they and theories and practice with little or no
demonstrating appropriately Challenges underpin how they might minimal knowledge of
rigour in the throughout. received opinion, practice. Good, underpin evidence of a legal principles
identification of Evidence of enabling the robust evidence practice. Some coherent, and theories with
solutions to originality in the development of a of the ability to evidence of the insightful, minimal
problems application of coherent, develop and ability to develop argument. evidence of a
principles and rigorous sustain an an argument in Solutions and coherent,
theories to argument in the argument in the the generation of insights evidenced focused
generate new generation of generation of new insights or in need argument. Few
insights. new insights or in new insights or in the solutions to development. insights/
the solutions to the solutions to problems. solutions
problems. problems. demonstrated in
argument.

Synthesis and
evaluation Excellent Very good Good Contains some Contains some Very little or no
demonstration of demonstration of demonstration of independent independent evidence of the
Critically evaluate independent independent independent thinking and thinking. Rather ability to evaluate
and justify thought; ability to thought, making thought with justification. sporadic attempt sources or
existing make new new connections good evidence Development to develop, justify information.
information and connections, between ideas showing the required in the and synthesise Expresses only a
methodologies. reasoned and and critical, well- combining of combining of ideas and engage personal position
Create new critiqued from reasoned ideas and critical ideas and with the weighing and is uncritical
connections credible sources engagement with engagement. critically engaging up of alternative in its conformity
between and the a range of strong Consistent with the views from to one or more
theoretical generation of alternative views reasoned, evaluation of credible sources. standard views of
perspectives, innovative views justification of alternative views Critical reasoning the topic.
methods and the alternative views and evaluation of
strategies and perspectives. ideas needs
applied. development.