Essay

Focus: Purpose

Purpose is clear

4

Shows awareness of purpose

Shows limited awareness of purpose

No awareness

Research Question

Clearly presents a research question and answers it at papers end.

There is a research question addressed throughout most of the paper.

Vague sense of research question weakly supported throughout the paper.

No research question

Organization: Overall

Well-planned and well-thought out. Includes title, introduction, statement of main idea, transitions and conclusion.

Good overall organization, includes the main organizational tools.

There is a sense of organization, although some of the organizational tools are used weakly or missing

No sense of organization

Organization: Paragraphs

All paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with examples and have smooth transitions.

Most paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with some examples and have transitions.

Some paragraphs have clear ideas, support from examples may be missing and transitions are weak.

Paragraphs lack clear ideas

Content

Exceptionally well-presented and argued; ideas are detailed, well-developed, supported with specific evidence & facts, as well as examples and specific details.

Well-presented and discussed; ideas are detailed, developed and supported with evidence and details, mostly specific.

Content is sound and solid; ideas are present but not particularly developed or supported; some evidence, but usually of a generalized nature.

Content is not sound

Research

Sources are exceptionally well-integrated and they support claims argued in the paper very effectively. Quotations and Works Cited conform to MLA/APA style sheet.

Sources are well integrated and support the paper’s claims. There may be occasional errors, but the sources and Works Cited conform to MLA/APA style sheet.

Sources support some claims made in the paper, but might not be integrated well within the paper’s argument. There may be a few errors in MLA/APA style.

The paper does not use adequate research or if it does, the sources are not integrated well. They are not cited correctly according to MLA/APA style, nor listed correctly on the Works Cited page.

Grammar & Mechanics

Excellent grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation.

A few errors in grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation, but not many.

Shows a pattern of errors in spelling, grammar, syntax and/or punctuation. Could also be a sign of lack of proof-reading.

Continuous errors

Style: Details and Examples

Large amounts of specific examples and detailed descriptions.

Some use of specific examples and detailed descriptions. May have extended examples that go on for too long.

Little use of specific examples and details; mostly generalized examples and little description.

No use of examples

Total: