CSSE1001 / 7030 Assignment One – Detailed Code Style Criteria Semester 1, 2021
Criteria Standard
Readability Proficient Competent Novice
• Program
Structure
Modular blocks are used to highlight code logic,
making it easy to understand.
Some modular blocks are used to highlight code
logic, along with some less clear code structure.
Poor code structure is used, which makes the
code difficult to read.
• Identifier
Names
All identifier names are informative, and well
chosen, increasing readability of the code.
Most identifier names are informative, aiding
code readability to some extent.
Many identifier names are not informative,
detracting from code readability.
• Named
Symbolic
Constants
All, non-trivial, fixed values (literal constants) in
the code are represented by informative, named
(symbolic) constants
Most, non-trivial, fixed values (literal constants)
in the code are represented by informative,
named (symbolic) constants.
Only some, non-trivial, fixed values (literal
constants) in the code are represented by
informative, named (symbolic) constants.
Algorithmic Logic
• Single Instance
of Logic
Almost no code has been duplicated in your
program. You have well designed functions with
appropriate parameters to modularise your code.
Some code has been duplicated in your
program. You have used some functions to
modularise your code.
Large amounts of code are duplicated in your
program. You have made poor use of
functions to modularise your code.
• Variable Scope Variables are declared locally in the functions in
which they are needed. Global variables have not
been used.
At most one global variable has been used. Or,
there are a few unnecessary local variables in
functions.
Global variables have been used, reducing the
clarify of function logic.
• Control
Structures
Logic is structured simply and clearly through
good use of control structures.
A small number of control structures are
unnecessarily complex.
Many control structures are poorly designed
(e.g. excessive nesting, overly complex
conditional logic, loops with multiple
unnecessary exit points, ...).
Documentation
• Comment
Clarity
Almost all comments enhance the compre-
hensibility of the code. Comments almost never
repeat information already apparent in the code.
A few comments are unnecessary to the
comprehension of the code. Alternatively, a few
comments are overly verbose reducing the ease
with which code can be comprehended.
Many comments are unnecessary to the com-
prehension of the code. Alternatively, many
comments are overly verbose reducing the
ease with which code can be comprehended.
• Informative
Docstrings
All docstrings are accurate and informative, and
clearly show how parameters and return types
should be used.
Almost all docstrings are accurate and reason-
ably clear descriptions of how the module or
function is to be used. Almost all parameters
and return types are described clearly.
Several docstrings are inaccurate or unclear,
or absent. Some parameters and return types
are unclear.
• Description of
Logic
All important or complex blocks of logic (e.g.
major loops or conditionals) are almost always
clearly explained or summarised. Almost no
stating of the obvious (e.g. a loop iterates over a
sequence).
Most important or complex blocks of logic (e.g.
major loops or conditionals) are usually clearly
explained or summarised. Almost no stating of
the obvious (e.g. loop iterates over a sequence).
Some important or complex blocks of logic are
explained or summarised poorly (e.g. descrip-
tion is unclear or restates code). Alternatively,
some unimportant blocks of code are given
excessive coverage in the comments.