Research essay

Grade Component (Weight)

Unacceptable/Not Addressed (<50%)

Well Below Expectations (50-59%)

Developing Toward Expectations (60-69%)

Meets Expectations (70-80%)

Exceeds Expectations (81%+)

Structure and Organization (30%)

-Strong, clear topic sentence in all body paragraphs

-Body paragraphs unified (stay on one topic) and coherent (flow with clear logic)

-Introduction grabs readers’ attention, makes readers familiar with the topic, and provides a thesis

-Thesis clearly articulates a specific argument and sets out the major supporting ideas (the focus of the body paragraphs)

-Conclusion re-states the thesis, summarizes the argument, wraps up in a satisfying way

APA Citation, Format, Requirements (10%)

-Paper Format: Title page, font, spacing, header, page numbers are all correct; word count is near 1500

-In-text citation: Sufficient, formatted correctly

-References List: Entries constructed correctly; list formatted correctly

-Sources: At least five, at least one scholarly source, all reliable, high-quality sources

Argument (30%)

-Claims supported with sufficient, high-quality evidence

-Evidence is integrated into the text smoothly and creatively

-Evidence is thoroughly analyzed and explained

-Writer draws logical conclusions from evidence

-Writer considers counterarguments (implicitly or explicitly)

Style and Clarity (15%)

-Free from informal language (slang, colloquialism, contractions, 1st and 2nd person)

-Sentence construction is sound and varied

-Appropriate transitions smoothly connect sentences, and/or indicate their relationship

-Writer chooses words accurately and appropriately

-Writing is concise (no wordiness) and precise (no vagueness)

Grammar/Mechanics (15%)

-Free from fragments, comma splices, fused sentences

-Free from spelling errors

-Free from major grammatical errors (agreement errors, tense errors)

-Nearly free from minor grammatical errors (ie. No significant impact on readability)

-Punctuation is used properly (very few minor errors)