Eac150 Essay Grading Sheet

EAC150 ESSAY GRADING SHEET

Name:__Shaunak Shah______

Overall Grade:______

THESIS A/A+ Easily identifiable, plausible, novel, sophisticated, insightful, crystal clear. B/B+ Promising, but may be slightly unclear, or lacking in insight or originality. C/C+ May be unclear (contain many vague terms), appear unoriginal, or offer relatively little that is new; provides little around which to structure the paper. May be a statement of an obvious point. D Difficult to identify, incomplete, or incompetent. Statement may be lengthy, wordy, rambling and long-winded. F Has no identifiable thesis. STRUCTURE A/A+ Evident and understandable. Paragraphs support solid topic sentences. Contains a strong introduction and conclusion. B/B+ Generally clear but occasionally vague, unbalanced or disorganized. Consistent use of topic sentences but may be weak or unclear at times. Introduction and conclusion may bland. C/C+ Generally unclear but contains some clear and compelling points. Sporadic use of topic sentences, which may be weak or unclear. Introduction and conclusion are weak or unoriginal. D Mostly unclear. Meaning is often obscured by grammatical errors. Very few topic sentences. Introduction and conclusion are brief. Conclusion is only a re-iteration of the thesis. F Very difficult to understand. No clear topic sentences. Introduction and conclusion are non-existent. UNITY AND COHERENCE A/A+ Essay is focused and supporting points are appropriate for thesis. Excellent transitions which flow smoothly from point to point. B/B+ Generally focused and appropriate, but may wander occasionally. May have a few unclear transitions. C/C+ Generally unclear, often off-topic, jumps around. Few or weak transitions. D Unclear, often because thesis is weak or non-existent. Transitions are often missing. Connection between points is confusing and unclear. F Very difficult to understand connection between points Thesis is non-existent or incompetent. Transitions are either non-existent or improperly used. INCORPORATION OF EVIDENCE A/A+ Primary source information used to buttress every point with at least one example. Examples support mini-thesis and fit within paragraph. Sources for quotes, paraphrasing and concepts are properly documented as per MLA standards. Excellent integration of quoted material into sentences. B/B+ Examples used to support most points. Some evidence does not support point, or may appear where inappropriate. Sources of some concepts may not be consistent with MLA documentation standards. Quotes generally well integrated into sentences. C/C+ Examples used to support some points. Points often lack supporting evidence, or evidence used where inappropriate (often because there may be no clear point). Some secondary support has been paraphrased without proper MLA documentation. Quotes may be poorly integrated into sentences. D Very few or very weak examples. General failure to support statements, or evidence seems to support no statement. Key concepts have been copied or paraphrased without proper MLA documentation. Quotes not integrated into sentences; "plopped in" in improper manner. F Examples non-existent or non-specific. Broad statements. Documentation is incompetent or non-existent, or the student has used a documentation format other than MLA standards. Quotes have not been used at all, or are irrelevant to the point.

ANALYSIS A/A+ Clearly relates evidence to mini-thesis; analysis is fresh and exciting, posing new ways to think of the material. B/B+ Analysis is generally appropriate, but lacking in originality. May not forward new concepts or issues to consider. C/C+ Very little analysis relating the thesis (or there is a weak thesis to support), or analysis offers nothing beyond the quote. D Very little or very weak attempt to relate evidence to argument; may be no identifiable argument or no evidence. May be a superficial report of the issues or re-iteration of key issues from an external source. Offers little personal assessment of the issue. F Analysis is inaccurate, incompetent, or non-existent. LOGIC AND ARGUMENTATION A/A+ All ideas in the paper flow logically; the argument is identifiable, reasonable, and sound. Author anticipates and successfully defuses counter-arguments; makes novel connections to outside material (from other parts of the class, or other classes), which illuminate thesis. B/B+ Argument of paper is clear, usually flows logically and makes sense. Some evidence that counter-arguments acknowledged, though perhaps not addressed. Occasional insightful connections to outside material made. C/C+ Logic may often fail, or argument may often be unclear. May not address counter-arguments or make any outside connections. May contain logical contradictions. D Ideas do not flow at all, usually because there is no argument to support. Simplistic view of topic; no effort to grasp possible alternative views. Many logical contradictions, or simply too incoherent to determine. F Shows obviously minimal lack of effort or comprehension of the subject and/or assignment. MECHANICS A/A+ Sentence structure, grammar, and diction excellent; correct use of punctuation and citation style; minimal to no spelling errors; absolutely no run-on sentences or comma splices. B/B+ Sentence structure, grammar, and diction strong despite occasional lapses; punctuation and citation style often used correctly. Some (minor) spelling errors; may have one run-on sentence, sentence fragment, or comma splice. C/C+ Problems in sentence structure, grammar, and diction (usually not major). Errors in punctuation, citation style, and spelling. May have several run-on sentences or comma splices. D Big problems in sentence structure, grammar, and diction. Frequent major errors in citation style, punctuation, and spelling. May have many run-on sentences and comma splices. F Largely incomprehensible due to numerous grammar, word choice, sentence structure and spelling errors.

Comments:

ESSAY OUTLINE – 5%

FORMAL ESSAY WHICH CLEARLY ANSWERS THE QUESTION