11 March 2024
By email
: [FYI request #25769 email]
Tēnā koe Samuel
I refer to your information request dated 17 February 2024 made under the Official Information Act
1982 (the Act). You requested:
I would like to know the grade distribution for the following papers. I would like you to include
the grade and the number of people with the grade:
1. All Physiology 200 and 300 level.
2. All rls for 200 level and 300 level.
3. What paper have the highest percentage of A+ in the past 4 years: top 3 papers in 200
level and top 3 in 300 level.
By email dated 19 February 2024, you clarified your request for the following information:
1. I would like to have the grade distributions for all 200- and 300-level Physiology papers for
2021, 2022 and 2023 please.
2. rls = religious studies. I would like to have the grade distributions for all 200- and 300-level
rls papers for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 please.
3. I am interested in receiving the top three papers with the highest percentage of A+ results
across the entire University, in each of the last 3 years (2021, 2022, 2023).
4. I am interested in receiving the top 3 papers with the highest percentage A+ results in
science subjects too, please. This is also for each of the last 3 years, please.
What I mean by “each of the last 3 years” is:
e.g. 2021: 3 highest % of A+ papers: x, y, z
2022: 3 highest % of A+ papers: x, y, z
2023: 3 highest % of A+ papers: x, y, z
Please see below our response to your request.
1. Grade distributions for all 200- and 300-level Physiology papers for 2021, 2022 and 2023 2. Grade distributions for all 200- and 300-level Religious Studies papers for 2021, 2022 and
2023
Subject to the following comments, please see attached the information you have requested. Please
note that there are
six papers in the attached document (one for each subject for each year):
• the data is correct as at 4 March 2024.
• we note that the grade and mark distributions for the 2023 PHSL343 paper has not been
finalised yet as the final grades for some students have not been confirmed. On that basis, we
decline this part of your request pursuant to section 18(g) of the Act, as the information
requested is not held by the University as at today’s date.
• on occasions where fewer than five students have failed a paper (i.e. received a grade of Fail
D, Fail E, Failed Terms or Fail), we have determined that it is necessary to withhold the marks
and specific grades for these students to protect their privacy and wellbeing. We consider that
withholding this information is necessary to protect against the identity of these students
being determined or inferred, and their personal information (i.e. their marks) could be
disclosed. We therefore withhold this information pursuant to section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
• on occasions where fewer than ten students are enrolled in a paper, we determine that it is
necessary to withhold the mark and grade distributions for these papers. As there were fewer
than ten enrolments in the following papers, we have withheld their mark and grade
distributions to protect students’ privacy and wellbeing. We consider that withholding this
information is necessary to protect against the identity of these students being determined or
inferred, and their personal information (i.e., their marks and grades) could be disclosed. We
therefore withhold this information pursuant to section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
o 2021: PHSL251, RELS216, RELS225, RELS226, RELS335, RELS238, RELS240, RELS306,
RELS309, RELS326, RELS335, RELS340.
o 2022: PHSL251, RELS216, RELS226, RELS236, RELS302, RELS303, RELS309, RELS317,
RELS326, RELS336, RELS337, RELS341.
o 2023: PHSL251, RELS220, RELS235, RELS239, RELS306, RELS309, RELS335, RELS337,
RELS341.
• please note that not all papers were offered each year, therefore we have only provided mark
and grade breakdowns, or noted where there were fewer than ten active enrolments, for the
years that the papers were offered.
• in the attached grade and mark distributions, we note that students who withdrew from the
papers or received an Aegrotat Pass (not a grade or mark) are excluded from the data.
3. Top three papers with the highest percentage of A+ results across the entire University in
2021, 2022 and 2023
Subject to the following comments, please see the below table which shows the top three papers with
the highest proportion of A+ results across the University, for each year from 2021 – 2023:
• the data is correct as at 4 March 2024.
• all papers with five or more enrolments are included in the calculations.
• all 100-, 200- and 300-level papers are included in the calculations.
• papers that generate an ungraded result are excluded (for example, papers where only a
“pass” or “fail” result is awarded).
• ENMO199 and EREO199 were first offered in 2022. In 2023, the results for these papers were
“pass” or “fail” only (as per above bullet-point).
• students who withdrew from their papers are excluded from the calculations.
Year
Paper Code
Rank
2021
RADT125
1
LATN211
2
LING332 and FREN341
3=
2022
ENMO199 and BIBS132
1=
EREO199
3
2023
ACCT360
1
GLBL301
2
ECON376
3
4. Top three papers with the highest percentage of A+ results across Science subjects in 2021,
2022 and 2023
Subject to the following comments, please see the below tables which show the top three papers with
the highest proportion of A+ results across the Division of Sciences, for each year from 2021 – 2023:
• the data is correct as at 4 March 2024.
• all Division of Sciences papers with five or more enrolments are included in the calculations.
• all Division of Sciences 100-, 200- and 300-level papers are included in the calculations.
• papers that generate an ungraded result are excluded (for example, papers where only a
“pass” or “fail” result is awarded).
• students who withdrew from their papers are excluded from the calculations.
Year
Paper Code
Rank
2021
GEOL375
1
HUNT341
2
MATH374 and PHSI386
3=
2022
COSC341 and PHSI381
1=
PHSI365
3
2023
PHSI365
1
COSC341
2
PHSI336
3
In the above cases, we consider that good reasons exist for withholding information, and this is not
outweighed by other considerations which would make it desirable, in the public interest, to make the
information available. If you are not satisfied with our response to your information request, section
28(3) of the Act provides you with the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate and review this
response. However, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you first.
Ngā mihi
Kelsey Kennard
Official Information and Compliance Coordinator
Office of the Registrar