The Fine Print

As you already know from personal (and perhaps painful) experience, marking can be quite subjective.  Therefore it is valuable to know how assignments will be graded.  With regards to written assignments (i.e. "papers") let me put this as simply as possible:

• an adequate job is considered a C grade of some sort - meaning C-, C or C+ (note, however, that a C- should be taken as a "warning shot across the bow", i.e. it is borderline work and next time such work will likely receive a D ... ouch)
   

• a good job will receive a B grade of some sort - this means you have fully addressed the objectives of the assignment (and the assignment includes references, images, diagrams, etc., as appropriate) ... translated, you did what I asked
   

• in order to receive an A grade you will need to fully address the objectives and impress me in someway - an 'A' goes above and beyond the call of duty!
   

• however, I should warn you to consider this advice wisely - I do not expect a 24-hour marathon effort for an assignment worth only 1% of your overall grade