Writing essay english

1A Arg Research Rubric.doc

RUBRIC FOR ARGUMENT RESEARCH PAPER

A

These are exceptionally well-written papers that argue convincingly through inductive and deductive reasoning and that incorporate relevant, well-documented research. They demonstrate careful planning, awareness of an intended audience, and effective use of rhetorical strategies.

Specifically, these papers will demonstrate each of the following characteristics:

· Take a clear stand on one side of an important, controversial issue

· Introduce with an engaging opener and a narrowly-focused thesis

· Provide necessary background to the issue; define all key concepts

· Argue with compelling logical, emotional, and ethical appeals

· Support reasons in depth with sufficient, convincing, and varied research

· Provide counter-arguments (refutation) that anticipate reader objections

· Begin paragraphs with clear topic sentences and organize them logically

· Provide coherence with a clear plan, transitions, repetition/parallelism

· Conclude with a heightened, emotional appeal to the reader

· Document all borrowed material and incorporate research smoothly into text

· Blend different types of research: paraphrase, summary, and direct quotes

· Follow the MLA format accurately: title-page, pagination, Works Cited page, margins, spacing, and notes/illustrations (if included)

· Employ an effective style: vary sentence structure; use concrete and specific word choice, appropriate tone, and a confident, natural voice

· Employ near-perfect mechanics: spelling, punctuation, grammar and usage

· 5 pages in length; 2-3 sources

B

These papers are well written, and they argue a specific issue by using mostly convincing research. They possess all characteristics listed above but use them less well. Typically, they may develop paragraphs less fully, use research less effectively, and/or possess several errors in format, grammar, sentence structure, usage, and/or mechanics. They are, however, the product of hard work and demonstrate a clear understanding of audience, argument and research.

These papers often contain one or more of the following flaws:

· Inform as much as argue

· Do not fully develop one or more of the content areas: background, reasoning and support, refutation (counter-argument)

· Use reasoning that is occasionally obvious, less rigorous, or fallacious

· Provide support that is less convincing or not fully developed in places

· Rely too heavily on one type of research (quotes, paraphrase) or create an imbalance of research to original ideas

· Occasionally mishandle documentation and blend sources less effectively

· Contain a few errors in MLA format

· Offer less sentence variety, less precise word choice

· Possess several weaknesses in grammar, usage, mechanics

· Lack a sufficient number of pages or sources

C

These papers adequately argue an important issue, but they display several of the flaws listed above or possess a significant weakness. These papers have much potential, but they need considerable reworking in one or more areas.

Specifically, these papers will often be marked by one or more of the following features:

· Topic is very broad; papers inform more than argue

· Logical, emotional, ethical appeal are inappropriate or not convincing

· Fail to include a major portion of required content (background, counter-argument, etc)

· Lack sufficient development and length

· Poorly organized in places; lack coherence within and/or between paragraphs

· Missing two or more of the MLA requirements, or contain a pattern of errors in several areas

· Fail to document sections of paper where research was clearly used (unintentionally plagiarize)

· Contain a pattern of errors in grammar, sentence structure, usage, mechanics

D

These essays may attempt to argue an issue, but they have serious lapses in content and format. While these papers are effective in places, they are characterized by two or more serious flaws or a pattern of flaws mentioned above.

Typically, these essays will do one of the following:

· Primarily inform or simply compare two sides of an issue

· Make claims that are not supported

· Use very little research or merely “cut and paste” research

· Lack unity or coherence

· Do not document sources or document ineffectively

· Contain many errors in sentence structure, grammar, usage, mechanics

· Do not follow the MLA format or are missing several requirements

· Unintentionally plagiarize in a number of places