2025-26 Part B Examination in Mathematics

H. Coursework

The examiners should pay careful attention to what candidates have been told about the assessment of coursework in the Examination Regulations and the Course Handbook.  All coursework is independently marked by at least two assessors.  The examiners will oversee the reconciliation of marks, following the established reconciliation procedure (https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/teaching-and-learning/projects/essays).  If reconciliation is not possible, an additional marker should be appointed.

Projects and extended essays will be be assessed with reference to the following qualitative descriptors:

For BSP Projects

90--100: Work of potentially publishable standard, as evidenced by originality or insight. The work should show depth and accuracy, and should have a clear focus.  It is likely to go beyond the normal level for part B.  The standard one sees in winners of one of the examination prizes.
80--89: Work in this range will be at the level of a strong candidate for a DPhil applicant.  The project will be an easy choice as a winner of a college essay prize. It will have depth, accuracy and a clear focus. It will show a strong command of material at least at the level of
part B.  It is likely to contain original material, which may take the form of new mathematical propositions, new examples, or new calculations, for example.
70--79: The work submitted is of a generally high order, with depth, clarity and accuracy, but may have minor errors in content and/or deficiencies in presentation. It may contain original material, at least in the sense of new examples or calculations.
60--69: The candidate shows a good grasp of their subject, but without the command and clarity required for first class marks. Presentation, referencing and bibliography should be good, and the mathematics should have no more than minor errors.
50--59: The work shows an adequate grasp of the subject, but is likely to be marred by having material at too low a level, by serious or frequent errors, a high proportion of indiscriminate information, or poor presentation and references.
40--49: The candidate shows reasonable understanding of parts of the basic material, but reveals an inadequate competence with others.  The material may be at too low a level. There are likely to be high levels of error or irrelevance, muddled or superficial ideas, or very poor writing style. 
30--39: The candidate shows some limited grasp of at least part of the material.
0--29: Little evidence of understanding of the topic. The work is likely to show major misunderstanding and confusion.

For BOE and BO1.1 extended essays

70--100: The candidate shows clear focus on the question, with precise and accurate details (mathematical and other), imaginative selection of examples and appropriate selection and quality (rather than quantity) of sources, and cogent argument, supported by evidence.

Within this band the following finer gradations may be helpful:
90--100: Work of publishable quality.
80--89: Demonstrates originality of content or insight.  Work at the upper end of this range could be publishable after minor improvements. Would be an appropriate entry for a national or university prize.
70--79: Work of high or very high quality, but perhaps lacking the originality that would be expected of publishable work. Might be a good candidate, for example, for a college prize.

60--69: Work that addresses the given topic, with solid command of factual content, reasonable range of examples and sources, coherent argument and analysis, and correct referencing and bibliography.

(Essays at the lower end of this range may lack some of these qualities or show them only intermittently.)
50--59: Work with some use of facts, sources, and arguments, but marred by one of more of a failure to address the topic, serious or frequent errors of fact, a high proportion of indiscriminate information, speculation or unsupported argument, and incomplete or inaccurate referencing.
40--49: The candidate shows some knowledge of the topic but the work is marred by several of the following:- high levels of error or irrelevance, muddled or superficial ideas, incoherent or non-existent argument, incompetent use of sources, or very poor writing style.
30--39: The work demonstrates a little knowledge of the topic but no coherent argument.
0--29: The work demonstrates almost no knowledge of the topic.