The Grading Rubric for Papers

Each paper will be assessed for its content, organization, mechanics, and MLA format.

Content: 25 percent

• Insightful/original

• Thorough understanding of literary elements (if used)

• Adequate evidence and support (detail)

• Proper documentation (if used)

Organization: 25 percent

• Thesis

• Logically presented introduction, body, and conclusion

• Paragraph organization, unity, and cohesion

Grammar/Mechanics/Spelling: 25 percent

• Punctuation

• Agreement

• Fragments, run-ons, and comma splices

• Pronoun use

• Word choice

• Sentence pattern variety

MLA Style: 25 percent

• Format (Heading, Headers, etc.)

• Paraphrasing/Summarizing (when used)

• Incorporation of quotations (when used)

• In-text citations (when required)

• Works Cited (when required)

• Credibility and number of sources (when used)

Descriptive Standards for Each Area

Please review the descriptive standards that will be used to ensure consistency in the grading session. The points are based on a paper worth 100 points. For papers worth 200, the points will be doubled. The point values are rough estimates. The rubric in Blackboard can be found at the bottom of the page.

Content

A (Superior): 100% -- 23-25 points

• Shows originality, insightfulness, and sophistication of critical thought.

• If used, demonstrates thorough mastery and understanding of literary elements.

• Presents ample and thoughtful evidence. Supporting details are relevant, purposeful, and logically connected to the main ideas

• If used, sources are credible, quoted or paraphrased appropriately, and cited accurately using in-text citations and Works Cited page, which is virtually error-free.

B (Good): 80% -- 20-22 points

• Presents some new thought and/or insight on the subject.

• If used, demonstrates clear understanding of literary elements.

• Presents evidence for most points. Most supporting details are relevant, purposeful, and logically connected to the main ideas.

• If used, sources are credible, quoted or paraphrased appropriately, and cited using in-text citations and Works Cited page; minor errors in citation style or incorporation of quotations occur.

C (Average) 70% -- 17-19 points

• May have some original insight, but generally falls back on standard development of ideas.

• If used, shows comprehension of literary elements, but may make weak inferences and show weak insight.

• Presents some evidence for most points. Supporting details are present but may be marginally relevant or sparse.

• If used, sources relate to the topic, but may lack rigor. In-text citations and Works Cited page are both present; some errors in citation style or incorporation of quotations may occur.

D-F (Failing): 60% -- 15-16 points

• Lacks original insight.

• If used, shows poor grasp of literary elements.

• Poor or absent supporting evidence and details.

• If used, sources are inappropriate and/or citations and citation style are poor or absent.

Organization

A (Superior): 100% -- 23-25 points

• Well-defined thesis, strong topic sentences, and smooth transitions. Develops logically from a thesis statement.

• Clearly defined introduction, body, and conclusion. Engages the reader through logical development of points; focus is clear and well represented throughout the paper.

• Demonstrates excellence and sophistication in paragraphing.

B (Good): 80% -- 20-22 points

• Well-defined thesis. Develops logically from a thesis statement.

• Shows beginning, middle, and end. Clear and logical argument with little irrelevant material. Development and flow of the paper may be interrupted at times and/or focus is hazy at times.

• Demonstrates proper paragraphing. May have a minor lapse in paragraph organization, detail, unity, or cohesion.

C (Average) 70% -- 17-19 points

• Contains a thesis, but it may be unclear or inadequately developed. May have some difficulty supporting or developing the thesis.

• Contains a basic sense of beginning, middle, and end. Argument is generally logical but has some instances of irrelevant material and/or some logical lapses.

• Some weak topic and transition sentences. Some paragraphs are not well-developed, coherent, or unified.

D-F (Failing): 60% -- 0-16 points

• Poorly-defined thesis.

• Illogical, unorganized, and undeveloped argument.

• Weak or absent topic and transition sentences. Paragraphs are not well-developed, coherent, or unified.

Grammar/Mechanics

A (Superior): 100% -- 23-25 points

• Spelling is virtually free of errors.

• Correct and sophisticated use of punctuation, including commas, end-punctuation, semi-colons, colons, dashes, apostrophes, and quotation marks.

• Subject-verb agreement is virtually error free.

• All sentences are complete; the paper lacks fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.

• Pronoun use and agreement are virtually error free.

• Word choice is sophisticated and appropriate; language is inventive and engaging.

• Sentence patterns are sophisticated and varied-neither choppy nor long-winded; sentence patterns reflect appropriate stylistic choices.

B (Good): 80% -- 20-22 points

• Proper spelling is generally attained; some difficult words may be misspelled.

• No major errors in punctuation; some minor errors may be present.

• May contain a minor or rare lapse in subject-verb agreement (i.e. collective nouns).

• May contain a minor lapse in correct sentence structure (i.e. use of "however" in place of a conjunction).

• May contain a minor lapse in pronoun use and/or agreement.

• Word choice is generally at the college-level, appropriate, and varied.

• Contains varied sentence patterns.

C (Average) 70% -- 17-19 points

• Spelling is competent, but several spelling errors may be present.

• Use of punctuation is adequate to communicate but may contain several mistakes or some major errors.

• Subjects and verbs generally agree but may contain several agreement errors.

• Sentences are generally complete, but may contain fragments, run-ons, or comma splices. Some consistent sentence construction errors may be present.

• Pronoun use and agreement are generally accurate but may contain several errors.

• Word choice is appropriate to communicate but may lack maturity and variety.

• Repetitive use of a few sentence patterns.

D-F (Failing): 60% -- 0-16 points

• Pervasive spelling errors may occur.

• Major punctuation errors may be evident and consistent and/or impede the clarity of the sentence.

• Subject-verb agreement errors may be common or impede the clarity of the sentences.

• Repeated use of fragments, run-ons, or comma splices.

• Pronoun errors may be common or impede the clarity of the sentences.

• Word choice is inadequate and unclear. Words may be out of context or misused

• Monotonous use of sentence patterns.

MLA Style

A (Superior): 100% -- 23-25 points

• Format is correct: heading, headers, spacing, paragraph indents, margins, justification

• Paraphrasing and summarizing used correctly (when used)

• Quotes are properly introduced and integrated (when used)

• In-text or parenthetical citations are used correctly (when required)

• Works Cited page is correct: alphabetized, hanging indentation, punctuation, etc. (when required)

• Sources are credible and student has incorporated the minimum for this assignment (when required)

B (Good): 80% -- 20-22 points

• Format is mostly correct: heading, headers, spacing, paragraph indents, margins, justification

• Paraphrasing and summarizing used correctly for the most part (when used)

• Most quotes are properly introduced and integrated (when used)

• In-text or parenthetical citations are somewhat used correctly (when required)

• Works Cited page is somewhat correct: alphabetized, hanging indentation, punctuation, etc. (when required)

• Sources are mostly credible and/or student has not incorporated the minimum for this assignment (when required)

C (Average) 70% -- 17-19 points

• Much of the format is not correct: heading, headers, spacing, paragraph indents, margins, justification

• Some sources are not properly summarized or paraphrased (when used)

• Quotes are often not properly introduced and integrated (when used)

• In-text or parenthetical citations are used correctly (when required)

• Works Cited page is mostly incorrect: alphabetized, hanging indentation, punctuation, etc. (when required)

• Most sources are not credible and/or student has not incorporated the minimum for this assignment (when required)

D-F (Failing): 60% -- 0-16 points

• Most of the format is not correct: heading, headers, spacing, paragraph indents, margins, justification

• Most sources are not properly summarized or paraphrased (when used)

• Quotes are not properly introduced and integrated (when used)

• In-text or parenthetical citations are not used correctly or non-existent (when required)

• Works Cited page is incorrect or non-existent: alphabetized, hanging indentation, punctuation, etc. (when required)

• Sources are not credible and/or student has not incorporated the minimum for this assignment (when required)

Each paper is assessed based on the criteria set by the grading rubric linked below: