(for in-between grades, the numeric grade is approximately halfway between one grade and the next, ie “tick/tick plus” means that you received approximately 65%, and so on)

Tick minus 50%

Most of you who got this grade spoke a lot about memory, but did not relate it to understandings of the past and history as the question asked. Yes, we all know the movies are about memory (we picked them after all!) but you have to relate the insights about memory to the larger questions in this class, and not just to the things happening to the characters in the film. When you do this, it sounds more like a film review instead of an analysis of the question.

A good memory of the lecture points will not serve you well here. Regurgitation of Dr. Barnard's lecture on impressions of Japanese culture today, Chanbara films etc. (though interesting as it is....) serves little purpose if you do not link it back to the question.

Tick 60%

The people who received this grade did one of the following things:

• still gave somewhat of a film review like those who received a tick minus, but had some insights that related the films to ‘understandings of the past’

• you had some good ideas, you tied the movies to understandings of the past and history, but it was scattered and your argument did not flow well.

Common points like memory can be manipulated, memory can be selective and emotions are involved are raised. But the argument is not taken to a deeper level. Basically, there was an impression that you were giving a film review of the scenes where the above-mentioned can be found. Very superficial and easily forgettable.

Some students in the tick minus/tick category might have received a better grade if they had reread their project and polished their grammar, argumentation, and spelling (writing is all about rewriting and editing!) If the grammar and argumentation are sloppy, it makes it more difficult for us to understand what you are trying to argue. It also does not look good if you spell the names of the movies or characters incorrectly, though we did not necessarily mark anyone down for such mistakes.

Tick plus 70%

You drew closer ties between the insights from the film and the ways in which history is written. Drew out the difficulties and pitfalls faced by historians in understanding and presenting a version of the past. Perhaps you also brought up the distinction between different levels of memory (i.e. Collective, individual, that of the historian her/himself), and how these can differ and how they are influenced. Better written and organized than ‘tick’.

Managed to put in context of the bigger theme of this module which is the role of films and the study of history.

Double tick 80%

Great argumentation and writing of the points mentioned under ‘tick plus’.

You put more heart and feeling into this work and not merely based on your selected memories of the films