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Criteria
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Excellent
(Exceeds minimum mastery)
A (10 points)
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Good
(Exceeds minimum mastery)
B (8.5 points)
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Satisfactory
(Exhibits minimal mastery)
C (7.5 points)
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Poor
(Does not exhibit mastery)
D (6.5 points)
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Failure
(Does not exhibit mastery)
F (5 points)
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Criterion 1: Students are able to distill a primary purpose into a single, compelling statement.
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Contains a clear, concise, and thoughtful thesis statement which forecasts the organization of the paper.
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Contains a clear thesis statement which forecasts the organization of the paper.
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Contains a thesis statement which is unclear or inadequately focused.
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Contains a confusing, vague, or inappropriate thesis statement.
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Does not contain a thesis statement.
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Criterion 2: Students are able to order major points in a reasonable and convincing manner based on that purpose.
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Clear organization, consistently executed, with smooth transitions and flow.
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Clear organization, consistently executed.
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Clear organization, inconsistently executed.
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Unclear, inconsistent, or abandoned organization.
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No clear organization.
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Criterion 3: Students are able to develop their ideas using appropriate rhetorical patterns in response to their rhetorical situation.
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Evident and appropriate pattern, consistently executed, augmented with individualized and engaging style and voice.
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Evident and appropriate pattern, consistently executed.
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Evident pattern inconsistently executed or shifts patterns throughout the essay.
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Multiple or inconsistent patterns. May sometimes use an inappropriate pattern.
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No clear pattern exhibited or inappropriate pattern used.
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Criterion 4: Students are able to employ standard diction, syntax, usage, grammar, and mechanics.
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Only one or two minor errors.
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A few minor errors, none of which detract from the overall quality of the paper.
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Several errors, some of them major, which detract from the overall quality of the paper.
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A significant number of errors which detract from the overall quality of the paper.
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Pattern(s) of errors which detract from the overall quality of the paper.
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Criterion 5: Students are able to manage and coordinate basic information gathered from multiple sources.
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Use of material from sources clearly and reasonably supports the student’s ideas; materials from sources are carefully chosen and used well.
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Use of material from sources clearly supports the thesis and the student’s ideas.
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Use of materials from sources does not consistently support the thesis; sources sometimes overwhelm the student’s ideas.
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Use of materials from sources is inappropriate to thesis or student’s ideas; materials may not relate directly to student’s ideas or may be used for padding.
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Use of materials from sources does not support the thesis.
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Criterion 6: Students are able to use standard MLA documentation practices effectively, both internally and on the Works Cited page.
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All outside sources documented correctly both internally and on the Works Cited page.
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All outside sources documented both internally and on the Works Cited page; a few minor errors in format.
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All outside sources documented both internally and on the Works Cited page; consistent errors in format.
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Outside sources documented inconsistently and incompletely, both internally and on the Works Cited page. Major errors in format. May verge on plagiarism.
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Outside sources mostly undocumented; major and consistent errors in format. Plagiarizes sources either deliberately or through carelessness.
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Criterion 7: Students are able to develop their papers’ arguments based on the thesis.
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All parts of the paper are clearly relevant to the thesis. The writer clearly indicates the importance and relevance of all discussion to the thesis.
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Paragraphs, supporting details, and evidence all relate to the thesis well.
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Paragraphs, supporting details, and evidence all relate to the thesis, but sometimes only generally. The paper may digress once or twice or fail to make connections to the thesis clear in some cases.
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Several paragraphs, supporting details, and evidence do not seem to relate to the thesis. Connections between the ideas and the thesis are often unclear.
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The paper does not support its thesis.
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Criterion 8: Students are able to support their ideas with appropriate evidence and analysis.
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Sufficient and relevant evidence and probing critical analysis. Evidence is thoughtfully discussed and analyzed.
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Sufficient and relevant evidence and analysis. Evidence is discussed and analyzed
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Paper offers some evidence; it may not be discussed or analyzed consistently.
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Evidence and analysis are cursory and / or unconvincing. Analysis is illogical or missing.
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The paper lacks evidence and analysis.
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Criterion 9: Students are able to write focused, organized, and coherent paragraphs.
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Paragraphs contain clear topic sentences, are sharply focused and well organized, and flow very smoothly.
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Paragraphs contain clear topic sentences, are focused and organized, and flow well.
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Paragraphs contain topic sentences and are generally focused, but may be unorganized.
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Many paragraphs lack focus and / or organization.
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Most paragraphs lack focus and / or organization.
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Criterion 10: Students are able to process directions and meet requirements (i.e., appropriate topic, number of sources, length requirements, etc.) of the assignment.
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Paper meets and exceeds all requirements of the assignment originally and well. The paper uses more than the correct number of sources, and the quality of the sources exceeds expectations.
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Paper meets all requirements of the assignment well. The paper uses more than the correct number of appropriate sources
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Paper meets all requirements of the assignment competently. The paper uses the correct number of sources, but may use some inappropriate or unscholarly sources.
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Paper does not meet all requirements of the assignment. The paper may have too few sources or low quality sources; the paper may be short or explore an inappropriate topic.
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Paper does not meet most requirements of the paper.
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