Philosophy

Critical Essay Rubric

Grading Scale: A = 100-90%; B = 89-80%; C = 79-70%; D = 69-60%; F = 59% and below

100 points A = Excellent B = Good C = Average D = Poor F = Fail

Explanation Weight = 30 points

Your reader will have an excellent understanding of the issue after carefully reading your essay.

Your reader will probably have a good understanding of the issue after carefully reading your essay.

Your reader may gain some understanding of the issue by carefully reading your essay, but correcting for errors and making different writing choices would have resulted in much better understanding.

Your reader will probably gain little if any understanding of the issue by carefully reading what you wrote.

You did not provide your reader with something that will help him or her understand the issue.

Justification Weight = 65 points

Your reasoning is very clear, rationally convincing, and may even be original or insightful.

Your reasoning is clear and rationally convincing. Possible criticisms are adequately addressed.

Your reasoning is somewhat clear and you make relevant points, but those points are under- developed or subject to obvious criticisms that you ignore or do not adequately address.

Whatever reasoning is present is fallacious or based on claims there is no good reason to believe.

Your reader will have a difficult time detecting any reasoning.

Mechanics Weight = 5 points

There are no grammatical errors present and the paper is very well- organized. All of the sentences and paragraphs are well crafted and flow well.

Your response is generally grammatical and well-organized. It is obvious that thought was put into crafting a logical ordering of sentences and paragraphs, however there is still room for improvement.

Your response is fairly grammatical and well-organized but could be improved. There may be several grammar errors and/or stylistic problems.

Your response contains numerous, serious grammar errors and/or is poorly organized, and/or contains numerous poorly constructed sentences or paragraphs.

Issues of grammar and mechanics make it very difficult for your reader to understand what you are saying.