Course Description | Grading Criteria | Sample Student Papers & Responses

"A" Paper:

Successfully articulates point of view

• Provides complex thesis statement that articulates the student’s point of view; demonstrates not only a sense of style and voice but also a control over the ideas that the paper examines.

Acknowledges complexity of assigned topic

• Provides well developed thesis as it pertains to the topic.

• Provides effective and balanced analysis with focused introduction and conclusion.

Gives sense of textual wholeness

• Provides significant secondary support material that e ngage in ideas relevant to the paper topic.

• Effectively interprets and integrates this secondary support material into the body of the paper.

• Includes and develops all parts of assignment and by doing so goes beyond the requirements of the essay topic.

Achieves clarity throughout most of the paper

• Demonstrates sophistication of argument through sentences that show causal relations; flexibility with vocabulary; consistency of proofreading. There may be some error but those errors (e.g., grammar/syntax) do not interfere with the overall effect of the student’s point of view.

"B" Paper:

Articulates point of view

• Provides complex thesis statement that articulates student’s point of view along with sense of style; however, the direction of the paper is less compelling or developed than the A paper.

Acknowledges complexity of assigned topic

• Provides fairly well-developed thesis as it pertains to the topic.

• Provides effective and balanced analysis with focused introduction and conclusion; however, the conclusion may reiterate what has already been said in the introduction.

Gives sense of textual wholeness

• Provides significant secondary support material although the quotes may e xpress obvious ideas.

• Effectively interprets and integrates secondary support material into the body of the paper.

• Includes all parts of assignment and develops points effectively.

Achieves clarity throughout most of the paper

• Demonstrates sophistication of argument through sentences that show causal relations; flexibility with vocabulary; consistency of proofreading. In the “ B” paper there are errors with grammar/syntax; however, those errors do not interfere with the overall effect of the paper. Unlike the “ A” paper, the errors may sometimes create “blips” for the reader of the assignment. There may be some error but it doesn’t interfere with the overall effect of the student’s point of view.

"C" Paper:

Articulates point of view

• Provides a thesis statement but the paper either relies on a yes or no position or has a project that is far too general.

Acknowledges complexity of assigned topic

• Develops thesis as it pertains to the topic though may not refer back to thesis throughout paper.

• Provides analysis that may be somewhat unbalanced, or may rely on to o much on summary . Often the “ C” paper may read more like a report, engaging only in superficial analysis.

Gives sense of textual wholeness

• Provides secondary support material but often the quotes are not as significant or central to the position of the writer. The “ C” paper may also rely on only the most obvious ideas in a text; there is no sense of the studentmaking a textual connection that attempts any risk.

• Provides average effectiveness in interpreting and integrating secondary support material into the body of the paper.

• Includes all parts of assignment and develops most points and perhaps has thesis hidden in body of paper.

Achieves clarity throughout most of the paper

• Demonstrates some sophistication of argument through sentences that show occasional causal relations; some flexibility with vocabulary; consistency of proofreading though pattern of error remains . In the “ C” paper, the errors in grammar/syntax are consistent. While t he reader may understand the content of the paper, the errors demonstrate that the student has only a basic mastery of language.

Sample Papers >>