Grading Rubric for Final Papers in Political Theory

Criteria Reasons you wouldn’t Reasons you would get Reasons you would get Reasons you would ace pass a C-range grade a B-range grade the assignment Argument No clear or emerging Project only becomes Discovers a strong idea Begins with a clear sense argument. No indication clear in final paragraphs and then repeats it rather of purpose. Uses of a thesis, an opinion, or is too vague to mean than developing it. persuasive rhetoric and or a developing idea. anything. Introduction provides a imagery. Is self- sense of the project. reflective–has a clear Employs independent voice. thinking. Use of Text Essay does not engage No connective tissue Paper shows that you’re Is able to stand beside with the issues raised in between quotations. willing to take (not on top or inside of) the text. No connection Misreading of author’s interpretive risks, that other theorists. made between your point. you’re willing to share project and the texts. ideas with the authors. Theorizing No use of theoretical Parrots the author’s Uses theoretical terms to Avoids false terms. No consideration words, using technical advance an argument. dichotomies. Uses of the implications of a terms without Avoids “straw man” disparate authors to theoretical argument. understanding. Never arguments. question easy challenges original assumptions. Allows for assumptions. complicating details and critical reflections Organization Incoherent use of Paragraphs are coherent Overall structure is The organization is paragraphs. No clear but the overall structure coherent. Paragraphs logical, fluid, and clear, development of ideas. is not developed. flow from one to the and maybe even poetic. other. Presentation Disorganized sentences, Enough grammatical Grammatical errors and No major spelling or constant grammatical errors to impede awkward sentence grammatical errors. Uses errors. No evidence of meaning. structure are at a sub-headings effectively. proofreading. minimum.

Adapted from the “Teacher Resources: Grading Criteria” put out by the Rutgers University Writing Center. Available at: http://wp.rutgers.edu/teachers/101/grading/index.html

4/16/06