IFN600_Assignment_3_Marking_Criteria_v2
IFN600 Understanding Research
Assessment Criteria for Assignment 3 (40% weighting)
Student Name: ________________________________ Student Number: ________________________________
7 - High
Distinction
6 - Distinction 5 - Credit 4 - Pass 3 - Marginal Fail 2 - Fail 1 - Low Fail
Problem Statement– Ability to:
• Clearly identify the research problem and discuss its central issues
• Explain why the problem is worthy of solving through research and identify the potential benefits of solving it
• Use contemporary research literature to support claims for the novelty and value of the proposed research
• Problem statement
very clearly expresses
the motivation,
objective and scope of
the research.
• Presents a highly
compelling argument
for the potential
enefits of solving the
esearch problem.
• Demonstrates a
superior
understanding of the
esearch topic, in the
context of cu
ent
knowledge as
published in peer-
eviewed literature.
• Problem statement
clearly expresses the
motivation, objective
and scope of the
esearch.
• Presents a
convincing argument
for the potential
enefits of solving the
esearch problem.
• Demonstrates an
advanced
understanding of the
esearch topic, in the
context of cu
ent
knowledge.
• Problem statement
provides a general
indication of the
motivation and scope
of the research.
• Presents a credible
argument for the
potential benefits of
solving the research
problem.
• Demonstrates a
credible
understanding of the
esearch topic, in the
context of cu
ent
knowledge.
• Problem statement
gives some indication
of the motivation and
scope of the research
ut requires further
development.
• Presents a good
argument for the
potential benefits of
solving the research
problem.
• Demonstrates a
good understanding of
the research topic, in
the context of cu
ent
knowledge.
• Limited problem
statement provided.
• Presents a weak
argument for the
potential benefits of
solving the research
problem.
• Demonstrates
limited understanding
of the research topic,
or provides limited
eference to cu
ent
knowledge.
• Unclear problem
statement provided.
• Presents a poor
argument for the
potential benefits of
solving the research
problem.
• Demonstrates a
poor understanding of
the research topic, or
provides very little
eference to cu
ent
knowledge.
• Little or no clear
problem statement
provided.
• Presents little or no
convincing argument
for the potential
enefits of solving the
esearch problem.
• Demonstrates little
or no understanding
of the research topic,
or does not reference
cu
ent knowledge.
Assignment 3: Assessment Criteria
IFN600: Understanding Research Page 2
Research Question– Ability to:
• Define a clearly worthwhile and answerable research question
• Clearly indicate how answering the research question will contribute to solving the overall research problem
• Clearly explain that the expected answer is distinct from any existing knowledge
• The research
question is extremely
clear and the nature
of the expected
answer is obvious.
• It is made obvious
that answering the
esearch question will
produce valuable
new knowledge
elevant to the
esearch problem
and obvious that the
question can be
answered with
existing tools and
techniques.
• A superior
argument is given for
the novelty of the
esearch question,
citing contemporary
literature as
necessary.
• The research
question is very clear
and the nature of the
expected answer is
clear.
• It is very clear that
answering the
esearch question will
produce valuable new
knowledge relevant to
the research problem
and very clear that the
question can be
answered with
existing tools and
techniques.
• An advanced
argument is given for
the novelty of the
esearch question,
citing contemporary
literature as
necessary.
• The research
question is largely
clear but the nature
of the expected
answer needs minor
clarification.
• It is mostly clear that
answering the
esearch question will
produce new
knowledge relevant to
the research problem
and mostly clear that
the question can be
answered with
existing tools and
techniques.
• A credible argument
is given for the novelty
of the research
question, citing
contemporary
literature as
necessary.
• The research
question is generally
clear although the
nature of the expected
answer needs
improvement.
• It is generally clear
that answering the
esearch question will
produce new
knowledge relevant to
the research problem
and generally clear
that the question
could be answered
with existing tools and
techniques.
• A good argument is
given for the novelty
of the research
question, citing
contemporary
literature as
necessary.
• The research
question or the nature
of the expected
answer lacks clarity.
• Answering the
esearch question is of
doubtful value to the
esearch problem or
the question would be
extremely difficult or
prohibitively
expensive to answer
with existing tools and
techniques.
• A limited or weakly
supported argument is
given for the novelty
of the research
question.
• The research
question and/or the
nature of the expected
answer are very
unclear.
• Answering the
esearch question
appears to be of little
value to the research
problem or the
question would be
almost impossible to
answer with existing
tools and techniques.
• A poor or
unsupported
argument is given for
the novelty of the
esearch question or
the answer appears to
e already known.
• The research
question and the
nature of the expected
answer are entirely
unclear.
• Answering the
esearch question is of
very little or no value
to the research
problem and/or the
question cannot be
answered with
existing tools and
techniques.
• Very little or no
convincing argument
is given for the novelty
of the research
question or the
answer is already
common knowledge.
Assignment 3: Assessment Criteria
IFN600: Understanding Research Page 3
Research Methodology– Ability to:
• Design a feasible, stepwise research methodology to answer the research question
• Identify the data collection and analysis steps needed to answer the research question
• Estimate the resources needed to complete the project
• The proposed
esearch methodology
is described extremely
clearly, as a series of
precise steps.
• It is made obvious
that completing the
process will
contribute to
answering the
esearch question.
• It is obviously
possible to collect and
analyse the data
needed to answer the
esearch question
using the approach
described.
• It is obvious that the
listed resources are
sufficient and
necessary to execute
the research
methodology and
obvious that the
methodology can be
completed with
contemporary
technologies.
• The proposed
esearch methodology
is described very
clearly, as a series of
clear steps.
• It is made very clear
that completing the
process will contribute
to answering the
esearch question.
• It is very clearly
possible to collect and
analyse the data
needed to answer the
esearch question
using the approach
described.
• It is very clear that
the listed resources
are sufficient to
execute the research
methodology and very
clear that the
methodology can be
completed with
contemporary
technologies.
• The proposed
esearch methodology
is described clearly, as
a series of generally
well-described steps.
• It is made clear that
completing the
process will contribute
to answering the
esearch question.
• It is clearly possible
to collect and analyse
the data needed to
answer the research
question using the
approach described.
• It is clear that the
esources are
sufficient to execute
the research
methodology and
clear that the
methodology can be
completed with
contemporary
technologies.
• The proposed
esearch methodology
is generally clear, but
some steps need
further explanation.
• It is generally clear
that completing the
process will contribute
to answering the
esearch question.
• It appears possible
to collect and analyse
the data needed to
answer the research
question using the
approach described,
ut some detail is
lacking.
• It is mostly clear that
the resources are
sufficient to execute
the research
methodology and
generally believable
that the methodology
can be completed with
contemporary
technologies.
• The proposed
esearch methodology
is described weakly, or
some key steps are
unclear.
• It is not entirely
clear how completing
the process will
contribute to
answering the
esearch question.
• It is not fully clear
how to collect and
analyse the data
needed to answer the
esearch question.
• It is not entirely
clear that the
esources are
sufficient to execute
the research
methodology, or not
fully clear that the
methodology can be
completed with
contemporary
technologies.
• The proposed
esearch methodology
is described poorly
and/or several key
steps are described
inadequately.
• It is not at all clear
that completing the
process will contribute
to answering the
esearch question.
• It is not clear how to
collect and analyse the
data needed to
answer the research
question.
• It is