“A” Papers | •The paper engages its intended audience, demonstrating insight and complexity.
•The paper convincingly, richly, and logically develops and supports a single focus and purpose.
•When appropriate, the paper effectively integrates relevant outside sources. | •The overall organizational structure is appropriate to the audience and purpose.
•Paragraphs are thoughtfully and logically related and sequenced.
•The opening effectively establishes the relationship between the reader and the paper’s purpose, and the paper closes effectively.
•Connections within and between paragraphs create cohesion. | •The sentences are consistently clear, coherent, and syntactically varied.
•Precise word choice and an appropriate tone support the paper’s purpose and display a command of the conventions of academic writing. | •The grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage conform to conventions of academic writing and lend credibility to the writer. •References to sources are accurately cited and documented according to the appropriate style manual. •Format is consistently correct and appropriate. |
“B” Papers | •The paper engages its intended audience. •The paper develops/supports a single focus and purpose, with some richness of detail or evidence. •When appropriate, the paper correctly incorporates relevant outside sources. | •The overall organizational structure is appropriate to the audience and purpose. •Paragraphs are logically related. •The opening establishes the relationship between the reader and the paper’s purpose, and the paper comes to closure. •Connections within and between paragraphs usually create cohesion. | •Sentences are usually clear, coherent, and syntactically varied. •Word choice and tone support the paper’s purpose and usually display a command of the conventions of academic writing. | •The paper is free of serious errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or usage. •References to outside sources are usually accurately cited and documented according to the appropriate style manual. •Format is correct and appropriate. |
“C” Papers | •Although adequate in content, the paper may not fully engage its intended audience. •The paper generally develops/supports its focus and purpose, but may occasionally wander from its central idea. •The paper has adequate support but lacks some richness of detail. •When appropriate, the paper includes relevant outside sources, although they are not always purposeful or integrated. | •The overall organizational structure is generally easy to follow and appropriate to the audience and purpose. •At times, paragraphs may lack internal coherence or may be mis-sequenced or slightly off track. •The paper’s opening or closing may be mechanical or trite. •Connections within and between paragraphs are evident, but may be awkward, mechanical, or ineffective. | •Sentences are generally clear and correct; however, some may be basic, choppy, or lack syntactic variety. •Word choice and tone generally support the paper’s purpose but may less consistently display a command of the conventions of academic writing. | •Errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or usage occasionally interfere with communication and damage the writer's credibility. •References to outside sources are generally cited and documented, but not always in the appropriate style. •Format is generally correct and appropriate. |
“D” or “F” Papers (depending on severity of concerns) | •The paper does not engage its intended audience. •The paper fails to develop/support its focus and purpose or wanders from its central idea. •The paper contains limited, irrelevant, or no supporting details. •Necessary outside sources are lacking or, if used, are not relevant, purposeful, clearly introduced or integrated. | •The overall organizational structure is illogical, unclear and/or inappropriate. Paragraphs frequently seem unrelated or repetitive or are poorly constructed. •The opening is overly general, missing, or misleading. The closing is weak or missing. •Connections between and within paragraphs are missing or ineffective. | •Sentences are frequently basic, choppy, or repetitive in structure and may display lapses in clarity or coherency. •Inappropriate word choice or tone detract from the paper’s purpose and frequently display a lack of command of the conventions of academic writing. | •Many errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and usage impede communication and undercut the writer's credibility. •References to outside sources are not clearly cited; documentation style is generally inappropriate. •Format is not consistently correct or appropriate. |