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General Education History Written Assignment Rubric

Criteria

Excellent (A – A-) Good (B+ - B-) Satisfactory (C+ - C-) Developing (D+ and below)

Format / Submission 5 percent

 Paper neatly typed and formatted according to assignment guidelines.

 Proper cover page

 Paper saved according to standard guideline – lastname.course.assignment

(4.5 – 5 points)

 Paper typed and formatted according to assessment guidelines with few errors.

 Title page missing one or two required elements.

 Paper saved according to standard guideline – lastname.course.assignment

(4.0 – 4.4 points)

 Paper typed and formatted with some errors.

 Title page missing more than two of the required elements.

 Paper saved using vague filename.

(3.5 – 3.9 points)

 Paper typed with numerous errors.

 Format guidelines not followed.

 No title page

 Paper saved with vague file name.

(0 – 3.4 points)

Analysis/Argument and Tone (Purpose / Thesis) 15 percent

 Appropriate topic for paper length.

 Focused with a clear, insightful, informed thesis.

 Forceful and persuasive argument amply supported by carefully chosen and weighed facts.

 Evidence of sophisticated comprehension of historical context and causality.

 The writing is consistently professional and appropriate for an academic paper.

(13.5 - 15 points)

 Topic is good but too large / narrow for paper length.

 Thesis is clear.

 Good argument supported by cited facts.

 Sensitivity to historical context and causality.

 The tone is generally professional. For the most part, it is appropriate for an academic paper.

(12 – 13.4 points)

 Topic is considerably too large / narrow for paper length and / or marginally related to the course.

 Thesis is not clear.

 Paper organized more toward chronology than analysis and argument.

 The tone is not consistently professional or appropriate for an academic paper.

(10.5 – 11.9 points)

 Topic is considerably too large / narrow for paper length and / or marginally related to the course.

 Simple chronology with no discernable argument.

 Logical and factual errors.

 Significant problems with understanding of historical content.

 The tone is unprofessional and not appropriate for an academic paper. (0 – 10.4 points)

General Education History Written Assignment Rubric

Content 35 percent

 Relevant and legitimate information clearly supports the argument and shows a thoughtful, in-depth analysis of a significant topic.

 The reader gains important insights.

 Demonstrates the author gained in-depth new knowledge about the topic.

(31.5 – 35 points)

 Information provides reasonable support for the argument and displays evidence of a basic analysis of the topic.

 The reader gains some important insights.

 Demonstrates the author gained solid new knowledge about the topic and significance of events.

(28– 30.5 points)

 Information supports the argument at times.

 Analysis is basic or general.

 The reader gains a few important insights.

 Demonstrates the author gained some new knowledge about the topic and the significance of events.

(24.5 – 27.9 points)

 The argument not clearly identified.

 Analysis is vague or not evident.

 Reader is confused or may be misinformed; important insights are not evident.

 Demonstrates that author gained minimal new knowledge about the topic.

(0 – 24.4 points)

Research and Documentation 15 percent

 Two or more relevant primary / secondary sources demonstrating extensive, in- depth research.

 No tertiary sources.

 Little reliance on tertiary sources.

 Sources skillfully incorporated into the paper at all necessary points.

 Citations from at least two sources.

 Citations and bibliography follow the Chicago Manual of Style.

(13.5 - 15 points)

 Two or more relevant primary / secondary sources revealing adequate research.

 No tertiary sources.

 Sources appropriately referenced in the paper.

 Citations from at least two sources.

 Citations and bibliography do not follow the Chicago Manual of Style but an attempt was clearly made to do so.

(12 – 13.4 points)

 One or no relevant secondary sources; one or no primary sources.

 More than one tertiary source.

 Some facts not referenced.

 Several citation errors.

 Citations from at least two sources.

 Citations and bibliography do not follow the Chicago Manual of Style and no attempt made to do so.

(10.5 – 11.9 points)

 No relevant secondary sources, no primary sources. Over reliance on tertiary sources.

 No sources

 Spotty documentation of facts.

 Pattern of citation errors.

 One or less citation and one or less source.

 Citation from only one source.

 No citations and / or no bibliography.

(0 – 10.4 points)

General Education History Written Assignment Rubric

Organization and Style 15 percent

 The ideals logically support the purpose or argument.

 They flow smoothly from one to another and clearly linked to each other.

 The reader can follow the line of reasoning.

 Concise introduction with clear thesis.

 Extremely well organized and supported argument.

 Cogent, summative conclusion.

(13.5 - 15 points)

 The ideas logically support the central purpose or argument.

 Ideas usually clearly linked to each other.

 For the most part, the reader can follow the line of reasoning.

 Concise introduction with clear thesis.

 Organized and appropriate examples.

 Conclusion does not summarize the point.

(12 – 13.4 points)

 In general, the writing is logical, although occasionally ideas fail to make sense together.

 The reader is fairly clear about what the writer intends.

 Introduction weak.

 Organization weak.

 Conclusion weak. (10.5 – 11.9 points)

 The writing is not logically organized. Frequently, ideas fail to make sense together. The reader cannot identify a line of reasoning and loses interests.

 Little evidence of coherent organization

(0 – 10.4 points)

Grammar / Spelling 15 percent

 Paper essentially free of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.

(13.5 - 15 points)

 A few grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.

(12 – 13.4 points)

 Pattern of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.

 Sentences awkwardly constructed causing the reader occasional distraction.

(10.5 – 11.9 points)

 Severe grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.

 Errors in sentence structure are frequent enough to be a major distraction to the reader.

(0 – 10.4 points)