A Guide to Assigning Grades to Written Assignments
Social Science Department-Murray State College *
These grading standards establish three major criteria for evaluating written assignments:
1. Content-65%
2. Organization-20%
3. Mechanics and Grammar-15%
Of course, not every essay will fit neatly into one grade category; an essay may, for instance, have some characteristics of “B” essay and some of “C” essay.
"A+ to A-" Essays:
Content:
· The “A” essay has not only discussed the assigned topic, but has done so in a fresh and mature manner.
· It has discussed the topic effectively.
· It shows substantial insight into the issue.
· It is likely to move the audience to act as the writer desires.
· The evidence is detailed.
· The sources of information have been used creatively and cited appropriately.
· The reasoning is valid.
· Beyond that, the paper is thoughtful, showing hard work, good judgment, and sensitivity to the complexities of the situation or issue.
Organization:
· The organization is effective for the audience and purpose.
· The Introduction contains time/place setting information, the thesis, and the main points that will be discussed.
· Segments, whether sections or paragraphs, are fully developed and follow logically from what precedes them.
· The Conclusion re-states the thesis, main points, and explains the historical significance of the topic discussed.
Mechanics and Grammar:
· The prose is not only clear and readable but also occasionally apt and memorable.
· It contains few grammatical, spelling, punctuation or syntax errors, none of which seriously undermines the effectiveness of the essay for educated readers.
"B + to B-" Essays
Content:
· The assignment has not just been followed but fulfilled.
· In taking its stand, the paper shows a clear sense of audience and purpose. It shows more awareness of the implications of what it is saying and of its assumptions about the audience than the “C” essay does.
· The writer has not settled for the most obvious evidence.
· The “B” essay is characterized by thoroughness.
· The reasoning is more than adequate. Not only does it make no mistakes, but also it shows thoughtfulness and some awareness of complexities and other points of view.
Organization:
· The “B” essay has an effective introduction and conclusion.
· The order of information is logical, and the reader can follow it because of well-chosen transitions.
· Paragraph divisions are logical, and the paragraphs use enough specific detail to make their point tellingly.
Mechanics and Grammar:
· The writing is competent, more ambitious than that of the “C” essay, less felicitous than that of the “A” essay.
· Not only is sentence structure correct, but it also uses subordination, emphasis, sentence length and variety, and modifiers effectively.
· It would be surprising to find serious sentence errors—comma splices, fragments, or fused sentences—in a “B” essay. Word choice is idiomatic, vocabulary precise.
· Punctuation, grammar, and spelling conform to the conventions of edited American English.
"C+ to C-"
Essays
Content:
· The assignment has been followed. The essay develops its points with a sense of audience.
· The information and degree of persuasion in a “C” essay is appropriate.
· There is evidence and though the evidence is perhaps obvious and easily accessible, it has been gathered honestly and used responsibly.
· The “C” essay may exhibit some minor imperfections or inconsistencies in mapping out the arguments, but there are no major flaws in its reasoning.
Organization:
· The organization is clear.
· The reader could easily outline the presentation.
· Paragraphs have adequate development and are divided appropriately.
· Transitions may be mechanical, but they foster coherence.
Mechanics and Grammar:
· The language is competent.
· Sentence structure is generally correct, although it may show limited competence with such elements as subordination, emphasis, sentence variety, sentence length, and modifiers.
· It relies instead on simple and compound sentences.
· The essay is generally free of comma splices, unintentional fragments, and fused sentences.
· Word choice is correct though limited.
· It may contain errors in spelling, mechanics, and grammar.
"D+ to D-"
Essays
Content:
· A “D” essay attempts to follow the assignment, even if the choice of topic or situation is poor, whether too broad, too narrow, or inappropriate.
· A “D” essay often shows a poor sense of audience and purpose. For example, it may over or under-estimate the audience’s prior knowledge or assumptions. Or it may correctly assess the situation, but add little of substance to it.
· Necessary evidence may be missing; irrelevant evidence present, or the interpretation or evaluation of that evidence may be inadequate.
· The reasoning may be seriously flawed, resting on an insufficient understanding of the situation or the audience.
· It may rely too heavily on evidence from published sources without adding original analysis.
Organization:
Organization may be significantly flawed in any of the following ways:
· Relevant segments may be missing;
· Topic sentences may be absent or inappropriate to the content of the paragraph;
· Paragraphs are not well developed, divided or arranged;
· Transitions are missing or incorrect;
· Introductions or conclusions are missing or incomplete.
Mechanics and Grammar:
· A “D” essay may have numerous and consistent errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
· The syntax or diction in some sentences may be so flawed that they are incomprehensible.
· Lack of proofreading can turn an otherwise adequate essay into a “D” essay.
"F+ to 0" Essays
Content:
· The “F” essay may have not answered the assignment topic, even if it is correctly and coherently written.
· (Many instructors require that such essays be rewritten before assigning a grade.)
· It relates to the assignment but has no clear purpose, or goes off in several directions.
· It may be plagiarized—either it is someone else’s essay or it has used sources improperly or without documentation.
Organization:
· It is missing essential elements of the essay: Introduction, Body, or Conclusion.
· It falls seriously short of the minimum length requirements.
Mechanics and Grammar:
· It is plagued by more than one of the organizational deficiencies of the “D” essay.
·
Numerous and consistent errors of grammar, spelling, punctuation,
diction, or syntax seriously hinder communication.
*The language and content has been adapted with considerable modification in format from “Essay Grading Rubrics” http://www.brooklyn.liu.edu/wac/faculty.html
Which was adapted from: Diane Enerson, R. Neill Johnson, Susannah Milner and Kathryn Plank, The Penn State Teacher II: Learning to Teach; Teaching to Learn. (University Park, PA: Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Penn State University, 1997).