POLS 2302 Essay 3-4 pages

CATEGORY

Highest Score 20 – Exemplary

Highest Score 16 - Good

Highest Score 14 - Marginal

Less than 14-Unacceptable

SCORE

Organization

Paper contains an intro, main body, and conclusion. Main points are clearly and concisely set forth. Assignment directions are followed.

Paper contains an intro, main body, and conclusion. Main points are adequately set forth. Assignment directions are largely followed.

Paper contains an intro, main body, and conclusion; however, main points are not effectively laid out. Assignment directions are not followed.

Paper contains no clear organizational pattern. Assignment directions are not followed.

Clarity and Style

All sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written. No words are misused, and technical terms are always explained. All information is accurate.

All sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written. An occasional word is misused, and/or technical terms are usually, but not always, explained. All information is accurate.

A few sentences are grammatically incorrect or not clearly written. Several words are misused. Technical terms are rarely explained. Not all information is accurate.

Exam is full of grammatical errors and poor writing. Several words are misused. Technical terms are rarely explained. Not all information is accurate.

Evidence and Sources

Provides compelling and accurate evidence to support main points. Relevance or importance of all evidence and sources is clearly stated.

Provides necessary evidence to support main points. Relevance or importance of some evidence presented may not be totally clear.

Not enough evidence is provided to support main points, or evidence is incomplete, incorrect or oversimplified.

Either no evidence is provided, or there are numerous factual mistakes, omissions or oversimplifications.

Research Techniques and Synthesis

Uses sound research techniques and synthesizes sources and data to produce an exemplary paper.

Uses good research techniques and synthesizes most sources and data to produce a good paper.

Uses marginal research techniques and minimally synthesizes sources and data to produce a marginal paper.

Improperly uses or fails to use accepted research techniques and fails to synthesize sources and data.

Quality of Final Written Contribution

Directly addresses essay topic and adds new insight to the subject. Student demonstrates he/she has retained nearly all of the relevant knowledge presented in coursework.

Competently address essay topic but does not add much new insight into the subject. Student has retained a great deal of information in coursework and is able to communicate this knowledge.

Attempts to address question(s) but is unable to do so. Student has retained some information in coursework but does not fully understand its meaning or context and cannot clearly convey it.

Does not address question(s), and has not adequately retained information from coursework.