Mid-Term Exam Topics

Criteria

More than 5% Non-Original Material

Grade D

Grade C

Grade B

Grade A

Grade A+

Thesis

There is 6-10% of non-original material.

No thesis is evident.

There is evidence of a thesis.

However, it is NOT located at the end of the introductory paragraph.

This essay has a thesis.

However, it is poorly structured.

This essay has a thesis.

However, it lacks appropriate rhetorical mode.

The thesis announces the topic.

There is clear direction in thesis.

The purpose of this essay is shown in the thesis.

Thesis shows the intended rhetorical mode.

Support

There is 11-20% of non- original material.

There are no supporting details that relate to the topic of this essay.

The supporting details do not support the branches of the thesis.

The supporting details are not equally important to the topic of the essay. Therefore, they lack balance.

There is no consistency between the rhetorical mode presented in the thesis and the rhetorical mode used in the body of the essay.

The supporting details support the thesis making the essay unified.

The supporting details stand for the rhetorical mode presented in the thesis.

Introduction

Paragraph

There is 21-30% of non-original material.

This essay lacks introductory material.

This introduction is very short.

It is not introducing the topic of this essay properly.

This essay has an introduction.

The introduction is too general for this topic.

This essay uses introductory material.

However, this introduction needs to have more of the elements that make great attention grabbers.

This essay uses an effective introduction.

Conclusion

Paragraph

There is 31-40% of non-original material

This essay does not have a conclusion paragraph.

This conclusion is very short.

It does not have any of the characteristics of good conclusion paragraphs.

This essay has a conclusion.

The conclusion introduces a new topic.

This essay has a conclusion paragraph.

However, this conclusion needs to include some of the elements of good conclusion paragraphs.

This essay uses an effective conclusion.

Content

There is 41-50% of non-original material.

This essay has the content of a paragraph.

The content is very limited.

The developmental material is unrelated to the thesis.

The content of this essay contracts rather than expand the topic given.

It has branches that do not add new information.

It does not have illustrations or stories that add to the content.

Paragraphs are very short.

The content of this essay discusses the topic given.

It has main ideas that mention the branches, but they do not contribute to something new.

Each paragraph has a maximum of four (4) sentences.

The content of this essay expands on the topic given.

It has branches that add new information.

It has illustrations or stories that add to the content.

Each paragraph has a minimum of five (5) sentences.

Sentence

Structure

There is 51-60% of non-original material.

There is no concept of sentence structure.

There are five (5) or more poorly structured sentences.

There are four (4) or fewer structurally incorrect.

There needs to be more sentence variety.

There are three (3) or fewer structurally incorrect.

There is a mix of different sentence patterns.

All sentences are structurally correct.

There is a mix of different sentence patterns.

Mechanics

There is more than 60% of non-original material.

Essay needs to be edited.

There are many basic mechanical or grammatical errors.

Essay has more than ten (10) basic mechanical or grammatical errors that need to be corrected.

Essay has fewer than five (5) mechanical or grammatical problems to be edited.

Essay has fewer than three (3) mechanical or grammatical problems to be edited.

Essay is properly edited.

There are no mechanical or grammatical errors.

Outline

There is no OUTLINE attached to this Mid-Term Exam.

Outline is poorly structured. The thesis is NOT written fully. The branches are NOT unified. It uses complete sentences to expand the branches.

Outline is poorly structured. The thesis is NOT written fully. The branches are NOT unified. It uses keywords to expand the branches.

Outline is poorly structured. The thesis is NOT written fully. The branches are unified. It uses keywords to expand the branches.

Outline is well structured. The thesis is NOT written fully. The branches are unified. It uses keywords to expand the branches.

Outline is well structured. The thesis is written fully. The branches are unified. It uses keywords to expand the branches.