English 1301 & 1302 Essay Grading Criteria

Excellent   (A)

Good   (B)

Adequate   (C)

Poor   (D)

Failing   (F)

·      Controlling idea/thesis is significant, important, logical, and solidly supported.

·      Evidence is relevant, concrete, clear, and substantial.

·      Paper shows originality and creativity.

·      Controlling idea/thesis is logical and important.

·      Evidence is relevant, concrete, and substantial. 

·      The ideas expressed and/or the evidence provided is not as significant or as original as the “A” paper.

·      Controlling idea/thesis is, for the most part, logical.

·      Evidence does not clearly define or advance the thesis.  Evidence may be irrelevant, too general, or repetitious. 

·      The ideas expressed are unoriginal, obvious, or general.

·      Controlling idea/thesis is largely illogical, fallacious, and/or superficial.

·      Evidence is insufficient, obvious, contradictory, or aimless.

·      The ideas expressed are unoriginal, obvious, or general.

·   Lack of controlling idea/ thesis. 

·   Evidence and discussion provided may be random and/or without explanation.

·   Relatively few complete ideas expressed in the paper.

·      Essay establishes a logical order and emphasis, creating a sense of “flow.”

·      Paragraphs are focused, idea-centered, and cohesive.

·      Introduction pulls the reader in, the essay continues to be engaging, and the conclusion supports and completes the essay without repeating.

·      Essay establishes a logical order, indicating emphasis.

·      Paragraphs are focused, idea-centered, and cohesive enough to indicate changes in direction. 

·      Introduction engages the reader, and the conclusion supports without mere repetition of ideas.

·      Essay does not follow a consistent, logical order although some order may be apparent through the discussion.

·      Paragraphs are generally focused and idea-centered.  Transitions between paragraphs and ideas are obvious and/or dull. 

·      Introduction and conclusion are formulaic and uninteresting, offering little insight.

·      Essay is inappropriately ordered or random, failing to emphasize and advance any central idea.

·      Paragraphs may be chaotic, undeveloped, shapeless, and elementary;  transitions are inappropriate, misleading, or missing. 

·      Introduction merely states what will follow; conclusion repeats what the essay has already stated.

·   Essay lacks order and/or emphasis.

·   Paragraphs follow a rule-bound structure (i.e., three to five sentences each) rather than development of a single idea. Transitions are inappropriate, misleading, or missing.

·   Neither the introduction nor the conclusion satisfies any clear rhetorical purpose (or may be missing altogether).

·      Sentences are unified, coherent, varied, and emphatic.

·      Word choice is fresh, precise, economical, and distinctive.

·      Tone enhances the subject, conveys the writer’s persona, and suits the audience.

·      Sentences are purposeful, varied, and emphatic.

·      Word choice is precise and distinctive.

·      Tone fits the subject, persona, and audience.

·      Sentences are competent but lacking emphasis and variety.

·      Word choice is generally correct and distinctive.

·      Tone is acceptable for the subject.

·      Sentences lack necessary emphasis, variety, and purpose.

·      Word choice is vague or inappropriate.

·      Tone is inconsistent with the subject.

·   Sentences are incoherent, incomplete, fused, monotonous, elementary, or repetitious, thus obscuring meaning.

·   Tone is unclear or inappropriate to the subject.

·      Student has clearly met and followed requirements and criteria of the writing prompt.

·      Obvious use of preliminary explorative writing/planning, rough drafts, and revisions.

·      Student has met and followed the requirements of the writing prompt.

·      Apparent use of preliminary writing/planning, rough drafts, and revision.

·      Student has met and followed the basic requirements of the assignment. 

·      Paper contains evidence of at least some preliminary writing/planning. 

·      Little to no evidence of preliminary writing/planning presents itself.

·      Student has neither fully met nor followed the basic requirements of the assignment.

·   No evidence of preliminary writing/planning. 

·   Student has neither met nor followed the basic requirements of the assignment. 

·      Proper format is clearly illustrated.

·      Paper is largely formatted correctly although the text may contain a few minor formatting issues.

·      Text may contain minor formatting errors.

·      Formatting is problematic.

·   Formatting does not follow course requirements.

·      Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling adhere to the conventions of Standard American English, thereby contributing to the overall clarity and effectiveness.   

·      Paper has been edited carefully.

·      Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate from Standard American English only slightly and insufficiently enough to distract from the essay’s overall clarity and effectiveness. 

·      Paper has been edited.

·      Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate from Standard American English sufficiently enough to distract from the essay’s overall clarity and effectiveness.   
 

·      Careless proofreading is evident.

·      Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate frequently from Standard American English so as to damage the content sufficiently enough to interfere with the essay’s overall clarity and effectiveness. 

·      Little evidence of proofreading.

·   Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate frequently and seriously from Standard American English so as to damage the content sufficiently enough to damage the essay significantly overall.

·   No evidence of proofreading.