Advanced Placement Literature/Composition

Exceeds Meets Approaches Falls Below Missing CATEGORY Expectations Expectations Expectations Expectations MLA Format Paper’s format reflects Paper’s format follows Paper’s format is Paper’s format is 1 inch margins, all elements of MLA all but one element. missing two missing three stacked heading, format. elements. elements. double-spacing, header, indented paragraphs 4 3.5 3 2.5 Title Title is original. Title Title is original. Title Title is not original. It Title is not original. It The paper has no piques reader's piques reader's simply states the is the name of the title. interest and suggests interest but does not topic or subject of assignment. focus/approach of the suggest focus/ the paper. paper. approach of the paper. 4 3.5 3 2.5 0 Introduction The introduction The introduction The introduction The introduction The introduction is engages the reader in engages the reader engages the reader lacks a recognizable missing both a an effective, effectively and although the technique to engage recognizable purposeful and purposefully but not as technique lacks the reader and/or technique to engage creative manner and creatively. Provides creativity and background to the reader and provides meaningful sufficient background purpose. Provides prepare the reader purposeful background leading leading up to the adequate for the thesis. background to up to the thesis thesis statement. The background leading prepare the read for statement. The introduction is up to the theses, but the thesis. introduction is effective. more is needed. The memorable. introduction is not as effective. 8 7 6 5 0 Thesis The thesis statement The thesis statement A thesis statement is The thesis statement There is no provides a strong and provides a clear present, but does is presented as a recognizable thesis Statement effectively worded statement of the not make the question rather than statement. statement of the author's focus and author's focus and a statement. author's focus and purpose. purpose as clear. purpose. 6 5 4.5 4 0 Original Topic Each body paragraph Each body paragraph One body paragraph Two body Three or more body begins with an original begins with an original is missing an original paragraphs are paragraphs do not Sentences topic sentence (not a topic sentence (not a topic sentence or the missing original topic begin with an original question) that clearly question), but not all of opening sentence is sentences or begin topic sentence or and effectively ties the them as clearly or a question. with a question. instead, begin with paragraph to the effectively tie the question. thesis statement. paragraphs to the thesis statement. 8 7 6 5 0 Content Relevant, quality, Relevant details give Supporting details Most supporting Relevant to the telling details give the the reader information and information are details and reader important that sufficiently relevant to the topic information are Thesis information that supports each topic sentences. One relevant to the topic substantially supports sentence and the topic sentence lacks sentences, but two or each topic sentence thesis overall. Writer sufficient support. more topic sentences and the thesis overall. makes good use of Research is not lack sufficient Writer makes excellent research. used as effectively. development. use of research. Research is not used effectively. 18 15 13.5 12 Original Each body paragraph Each body paragraph One body paragraph Two body Three or more body ends with an effective ends with an original does not end with an paragraphs do not paragraphs do not Concluding and purposeful concluding sentence original concluding end with an original end with an original Sentences original concluding that provides a sentence or ends concluding sentence concluding sentence sentence that provides summary/transition with a question. or ends with a or ends with a and and does not pose a question. question. summary/transition question. and does not pose a question. 7 6 5 0 8 Organization Supporting information Body points overall Body points overall Body points are Most of the body within body points and are arranged in a are arranged in a arranged in a way points and of Ideas body points overall are logical order that logical order that that is unexpected supporting arranged in a logical supports the thesis. supports the thesis. based on the thesis. information within order that supports the Supporting information Supporting them are not in a thesis. within a body point is information within logical or expected arranged in a way that two body points is order. There is little makes the body points arranged in a way sense that the writing less effective that makes the body is organized. points less effective. 6 5 4.5 4 0 Writer’s Voice Writer’s voice is Writer’s voice is Writer’s voice is Writer’s voice is Writer’s voice is clearly evident within evident within each lacking within one or lacking within two or completely absent within each paragraph in the paragraph, although two body three body within the body Paragraphs form of explanatory not as extensively. paragraphs. paragraphs. paragraphs. and transitional Writer is in control of Documented Documented material Documented material sentence. Writer is the research. material is often is often strung is strung together clearly in command of strung together with together with little throughout the body the research. little comment by the comment by the paragraphs with no writer. Writer writer. Writer comment by the demonstrates a lack demonstrates little writer. Writer has no of control of the control of the control of the research. research. research. 6 5 4.5 4 0 Academic Writer maintains a Writer maintains an Writer attempts to Writer fails to smooth academic academic voice maintain an maintain an Voice voice throughout the through most of the academic voice academic voice paper. 1st and 2nd paper. 1st and 2nd through most of the through the paper. 1st person pronouns are person pronouns are paper. 1st and 2nd and 2nd person not included unless used unnecessarily in person pronouns are pronouns are used in part of a direct 1 or 2 instances. used unnecessarily 5 or more instances. quotation from a in 3 or 4 instances. source. 6 5 4.5 4 Conclusion The conclusion is The conclusion The conclusion is The conclusion is There is no strong, including a includes a clear recognizable and recognizable and conclusion - the well-worded restatement of the includes a includes a paper just ends. restatement of the thesis and a summary restatement of the restatement of the thesis and well- of each main point. thesis and summary thesis and a developed summary of The reader is left with of main points, but summary of main the main points. The an understanding of one element is not points, but neither reader is left with a the writer’s focus and complete. element is complete. clear sense of the purpose. writer’s focus and purpose. 8 7 6 5 0 Closing Closing effectively ties Closing ties back to Paper has a definite There is no attempt back to the title and/or the title and/or closing but does not at a purposeful, opening. The closing opening but not as attempt to tie back to distinct "closing." stands out. effectively. Does not title and/or opening. Paper ends abruptly. stand out. 6 5 4.5 0 Sentence All sentences are well- Most sentences are Most sentences are Most sentences are constructed with well-constructed and well constructed, but not well-constructed Structure varied structure. there is some varied there is little or varied. sentence structure in variation in structure. the essay. 8 7 6 5 Grammar & Author makes no Author makes 1 error Author makes 2 Author makes 3 Author makes 4+ errors in grammar or in grammar or spelling errors in grammar or errors in grammar or errors in grammar or Spelling spelling that distract that distract the reader spelling that distract spelling that distract spelling that distract the reader from the from the content. the reader from the the reader from the the reader from the content. content. content. content. 8 7 6 5 0

Capitalization Author makes no Author makes 1 error Author makes 2 Author makes 3 Author makes 4+ errors in capitalization in capitalization or errors in errors in errors in & Punctuation or punctuation, so the punctuation, but the capitalization and/or capitalization and/or capitalization and/or essay is exceptionally essay is still easy to punctuation that punctuation that punctuation that easy to read. read. catch the reader's catch the reader's catch the reader's attention and attention and attention and interrupt the flow. interrupt the flow. interrupt the flow. 8 7 6 5 0 Sentence Writing contains no Writing contains 1 Writing contains 2 or sentence fragments or sentence fragment more sentence Errors run-on sentences. or run-on sentence. fragments or run-on sentences. 8 6 0 Number of Number of sources Number of sources Number of sources Number of sources No sources are cited cited exceeds the cited meets the cited is one below cited is two or more in the text of the Sources Cited minimum number minimum number the minimum below the minimum paper. required. (4+) required. (3) number required. (2) number required. (1) 10 8.5 7.5 6.5 0 Errors in All research material is One or two pieces of Three pieces of Four or more pieces No research material clearly and accurately research material are research material of research material is documented in the Documentatio documented. not accurately lacks accurate are not accurately paper. n documented, although documentation. documented. there is no evidence of Although the Documentation is intentional plagiarism. documentation lacks sloppy and borders care, there is no on plagiarism. evidence of intentional plagiarism. 16 14 12 10 0 Errors in The paper contains no Parenthetical Parenthetical Parenthetical The paper contains errors in identification documentation documentation documentation no parenthetical Parenthetical of sources, contains one error in contains two errors contains three or documentation. Documentatio punctuation, spacing, form, which may be in form, which may more errors in form, n Form or style of made consistently be made which may be made parenthetical throughout the paper. consistently consistently documentation. throughout the throughout the paper. paper. 12 10 9 8 0 Variety of Variety of There is some variety There is little variety There is no variety in The paper contains documentation styles in documentation in documentation documentation not parenthetical Documentatio is extensive. Most styles. While most styles. The majority styles. All citations documentation. n Styles sources are citations appear at the of the citations appear at the end of incorporated with end of the sentences, appear at the end of the sentences and signal phrases with a some sources are the sentences with readability is greatly few cited at the end of incorporated using very few signal affected. the sentence making signal phrases. phrases. Readability the text very readable. Readability is not is negatively negatively affected. affected. 12 10 9 8 0 Errors in There are no errors in There is one error in There are two There are three The paper does not form concerning the form, which may be different errors in different errors in include a works cited Works Cited title, spacing, made consistently on form, which may be form, which may be page. Page Form indentation, or the page. made consistently made consistently on arrangement of the on the page. the page. sources on the page. 10 8.5 7.5 6.5 0 Listing of Only the sources cited Sources listed on the The paper does not in the text or the paper Works Cited page do include a works cited Sources on are included on the not accurately reflect page. Works Cited Works Cited page. the sources cited in Page the text of the paper. Cited sources may be missing, or sources are listed which have not been cited. 10 6.5 0 Errors in There are no errors in There is one error in There are two errors There are three or The paper does not bibliographic form on bibliographic form. in bibliographic form. more errors in include a works cited Bibliographic the Works Cited page. Form reflects current Form reflects current bibliographic form. page. Forms Form reflects current MLA format. MLA format. From does not reflect MLA format. current MLA format. 10 8.5 7.5 6.5 0