The law on hearsay should be abolished. Discuss

OUTline for the essay:

. SLS ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR ESSAYS

When marking assessed work, SLS markers and examiners will look for evidence of the
following PRIMARY indicia:
• KNOWLEDGE of the area/topic
• UNDERSTANDING of the area/topic
• RELEVANCE and FOCUS
• Recourse to relevant PRIMARY SOURCES
• Engagement with SCHOLARLY MATERIALS
• Levels of ORIGINALITY, ANALYSIS, EVALUATION & CRITIQUE in argument
• Skilful APPLICATION of sources to the question (where relevant)
• Well STRUCTURED, COHERENT and CLEAR answer
• Quality of WRITTEN ENGLISH
• Use of appropriate REFERENCING system
Marks will be awarded taking into account the PRIMARY indicia above, appropriate to the
level of study, as follows.
85% – 100% A first class mark in excess of 85% will be awarded for outstanding work
which excels in most of the following:
? Extensive knowledge and understanding, evidencing an almost complete command of
the subject and any other relevant areas with no factual errors.
? Highly focused answer with no extraneous material or discussion.
? Meticulous appreciation of relevant primary sources.
? Evidence of engagement with a wide range of critical reading that goes significantly
beyond the module reading list.
? A clearly developed and cogent argument which is both alert to the nuances and
assumptions of the question, and which demonstrates highly original and critical
thought, analysis, evaluation and application (where relevant).
? Thoughtful structure, excellent communication skills, fluently written with
confidence and judiciousness, which will be lively, engaging and stimulating to read.
? Excellent presentation with complete and accurate referencing.
70% – 84% A first class mark between 70% – 84% will be awarded to work which evidences
excellence in most of the following:
? Thorough knowledge and a detailed understanding, showing a strong command of the
subject and any other relevant areas, with no factual errors.
? Very well focused answer with almost no irrelevant material or discussion.
? Comprehensive engagement with and understanding of relevant primary sources.
? Evidence of engagement with a wide range of critical reading that goes beyond the
module reading list.
? A clear, developed and responsive argument which shows an awareness of subtleties
within the question and which includes some original and critical ideas, analysis,
evaluation and application (where relevant).
? Thoughtful structure fluently written, which will be lively, engaging and stimulating
to read.
? Excellent presentation with complete and accurate referencing.
60% – 69% An upper second class mark will be awarded to good to very good work which
will generally demonstrate some of the following:

? High levels of knowledge and clear understanding of the subject and key principles,
showing a command of the subject but may be unaware of some relevant areas,
mostly free of factual errors/omissions.
? Well focused answer which is supported with relevant material.
? Evidence that primary sources have been located, read and understood.
? Reading of academic and critical sources taken from the module reading list and
beyond.
? A well organised and developing argument which provides evidence of some
personal interpretation, with attempts at some original and critical thought, analysis,
evaluation and application (where relevant), and which goes beyond the reproduction
of discussion found in the standard texts.
? Coherent structure, well written and comprehensible.
? Good presentation and competent referencing.
50% – 59% A lower second class mark will be awarded to satisfactory to good work which
will generally demonstrate some of the following:
? Sound or reasonable knowledge with a secure understanding of the subject and
principles, may contain a number of factual errors/omissions and/or some minor
confusions.
? Mostly focused on the question, answer may contain some irrelevant material.
? Relevant primary sources are identified but inadequate evidence that they have been
read and/or fully understood.
? Limited evidence of any independent research or wider reading beyond the module
reading list.
? Line of argument evidences that the subject matter is understood, but some key issues
will not be identified or dealt with, lacks original or personal interpretation, attempts
at critique, analysis, evaluation and application (where relevant) may be basic,
descriptive and predictable.
? Satisfactory structure and a competent standard of written English, some minor
problems in spelling, grammar or vocabulary may be present.
? Reasonably well presented, work should exhibit use of appropriate referencing
system.
40% – 49% A third class answer will be awarded to passable to satisfactory work which
will generally demonstrate some of the following:
? Basic factual knowledge with uncertain and limited understanding of the subject and
principles, will contain a number of factual errors or omissions and show signs of
confusion.
? Some key issues not identified and discussion not adequately related to the question,
some irrelevant material which is used in a way which belies a genuine
understanding.
? Relevant primary sources may be identified but little or no evidence that they have
been read and or fully understood, heavy reliance on secondary sources.
? Evidence only of limited and basic reading, little or no evidence of independent
research, little or no engagement with wider literature.
? Line of argument may report subject related views although may demonstrate little or
no appreciation of the debates or different interpretations which might be drawn from
such views, no meaningful attempt at critique, analysis, evaluation and application
(where relevant).
? Poor structure although answer makes sense, mediocre standard of English, some
problems in spelling, grammar or vocabulary which may be tolerated provided that
they do not produce unintelligibility.
? Satisfactory presentation, attempt made to reference appropriately, but may be
inconsistent, incomplete and/or inadequate.

30% – 39% A fail mark of 30% – 39% will be awarded to work which is below the
standard pass mark and which will generally demonstrate some of the following:
? Some very limited basic factual knowledge with uncertain and limited understanding
of the subject and principles and of the question being addressed, will contain
significant errors/omissions, gaps, and or signs of confusion.
? Lack of focus, answer not sufficiently related to the question, parts of the discussion
may be very general, descriptive and irrelevant, answer may be too short.
? Little or no evidence that relevant primary sources have been identified or read or
understood.
? Reliance on basic reading with possible inclusion of inappropriate sources.
? An unclear or ineffective argument which displays weak critical, analytical,
evaluative or application skills (where relevant), some arguments made will be
irrelevant to the question, general discussion may be uninformed.
? Disorganised and or disjointed structure, difficult to read, does not always make
sense, weak spelling, grammar and vocabulary may be present.
? Sloppy presentation, inadequate or absent appropriate referencing system.
15% – 29% A fail mark of 15% – 29% will be awarded to weak work which will generally
demonstrate some of the following:
? Inadequate basic factual knowledge with erroneous understanding of the subject and
principles and of the question being addressed, will contain major errors, gaps, and
signs of misunderstanding.
? Complete lack of focus or mistaken focus, discussion will be essentially irrelevant,
answer may be very short.
? No evidence that appropriate primary sources have been identified, read or
understood.
? No evidence of pertinent independent research or engagement with academic sources
either from or beyond the module reading list, any reading undertaken will be from
unsuitable non-academic sources, it will be irrelevant and or tangential, the discussion
will evidence mistaken interpretation of question.
? No argument or totally ineffectual argument which does not evidence any critique,
analysis, evaluation and application (where relevant), discussion shows that question
has not been understood.
? Structure is disordered, does not make sense, standard of written English is weak,
poor spelling, grammar and vocabulary makes the discussion almost unintelligible.
? Sloppy and careless presentation, insufficient primary or secondary sources used,
where sources used, no adequate references or bibliography.
0% – 14% A fail mark of 0% – 14% will be awarded to extremely weak work which will
generally demonstrate some of the following:
? Seriously deficient knowledge and understanding of even the very basics.
? No focus, answer may have fragments of irrelevant knowledge, answer may be very
short.
? No primary sources have been identified or mentioned no evidence that they have
been read.
? No independent reading or research, no evidence that basic reading from the module
has been undertaken.
? No arguments presented, very weak attempt, if any, to engage with the question or
attempt to answer or address it, no attempt at any critique, analysis, evaluation and
application (where relevant).
? No structure or incoherent structure, standard of written English, taking into account
spelling, grammar and vocabulary, may be very weak rendering the piece
unintelligible.
? Comprehensive absence of any referencing or citation system.