Categories for
grading papers
Category 1: Clarity and Strength of Thesis 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: thesis is interesting, takes a stand or proposes a solution, is underlined, shows up early in the intro
Lower the score if : thesis is not underlined, shows up late in the intro, barely sounds like an argument, is too rooted on opinion or personal choice or is not part of title or introduction
Category 2: Thesis breaks down into SUPPORTING AND RELEVANT Facts: 0-10
points
LOOK FOR: Topic sentences of each paragraph DIRECTLY support/argue the thesis; Each paragraph is arguing something related to thesis, doesn’t meander onto other subject matter, and is clear and true
Lower the score if: topic sentences of paragraphs (usually but not always the first sentence of a paragraph) are not arguing or making a point about the thesis, paper subtopics are straying from the approved topic, are poorly organized, meander in subject; HAVE NOTHING to do with the thesis (even if otherwise the examples are good)
Category 3: Paper is organized into paragraphs of
reasonable size: 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: paper clearly divided into paragraphs that make sense, if paragraphs have just one main idea and then not more than 3 examples supporting it, if paragraphs flow into each other (occasional use of transition words)
Lower the score if: if there are huge paragraphs that could be broken down into smaller paragraphs, if there is more than one main idea to a paragraph;
Category 4: Spelling: 0-5
points
LOOK FOR: signs of proofreading (few misspellings/less than 2 or 3)
Lower the score if: many words are misspelled (subtract 1 pt for every 2 spelling problems)
Category 5: Sentences: 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: sentences are clear and of varied lengths and types; if sentences flow together into paragraphs; if punctuation (commas and periods) are used correctly
Lower the score if: sentences are run-ons or awkward; sentences use punctuations poorly or end in the wrong place; if there are sentence fragments; sentences make no sense; if you read sentence out loud and it sounds poorly
Category 6: Grammar &Words: 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: verbs and noun agree; tense is consistent; words are used correctly in their meanings, etc
Lower the score if: poor/wrong words used/misused; word capitalization problems, grammar and syntax errors; signs of poor or no proofreading (subtract 1 point for every 2 incidents or so)
Category 7: Title Page & Paper format: 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: title page format (centered: Title of paper, your name, class section, date); paragraphs indented, has thesis exactly as approved by teacher underlined (by hand is ok) within the intro, has a work cited page at the end in MLA format; is typed; is double spaced; is in TIMES ROMAN or ARIAL 12 font. NOTE: title does NOT have to be the thesis, but should give the reader an idea about what the paper will argue.
Lower the score if: is not double spaced (-2 pts); has stains on it (-2 pts); the text is too light to read easily(-2 pts); thesis not underlined in the introduction (-5 pts); has an incorrect formatted title page (-2 pts); has no Works Cited page ((-2 pts); is in a BIGGER font type (-5 pts)
Category 8: Examples/Evidence should support the major
idea/major point of the particular paragraph 0-10 points
LOOK FOR: A fair amount of direct quotes as “evidence” in paragraphs (as “E” part of TPEO, TPEOEO, or TPEOEOEO); examples are relevant to the paragraph’s specific subtopic/idea
Lower the score if: irrelevant or poor examples are used; few or weak quotes/paraphrases; using the same example over and over again; paragraphs are summary or poorly supported by evidence
Category 9: Introduction 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: interesting, brief intro; if introduction states your thesis (underlined) exactly as approved
Lower the score if: there is no introductory
paragraph (-5 pts); entire intro is longer than a page (-4 pts); the
introduction is irrelevant, feels like padding (
Category 10: Conclusion
0-5 points
LOOK FOR: Conclusion using any of the techniques talked about in class, for example, restates thesis, restates your proof; offers a what if? etc; offers an interesting possibility; wraps up your paper; wraps up your argument
Lower the score if: there is no conclusion (-5 pt); the conclusion is irrelevant/about a different topic than thesis/ title/topic (-1 to -4 pts); conclusion is poor or doesn’t feel like an end(-1 to -4 pts); conclusion uses “I” a lot (-1 pts)
Category 11: Quotes
used/Citations format 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: min. of 4 quotes/paraphrases with citations for 1st paper/ or min. of 7 quotes/paraphrases for 2nd paper; actual quotes used from sources; there are more direct quotes than paraphrases; proper citation format used; anything that is EXPERT KNOWLEDGE has a citation giving its sources
Lower the score if: not enough citations/attribution given even when the knowledge was obviously from an expert
source or paraphrased (-
ADDITIONAL POINT PENALTIES FOR TOO
FEW QUOTES/PARAPHRASES IN PAPER (beyond 5 pt above):
1) 1st paper and has just 3 quotes/citations (-1 point) 1) 2nd paper and has just 6 quotes/citations (-1 point)
2) 1st paper and has just 2 quotes/citations (-10 points) 2) 2nd paper and has 4-5 quotes/citations (-10 points)
3) 1st paper and has 0-1 quotes/citations (-30 points) 3) 2nd paper and has 0-3 quotes/citations (-30 points
Category 12: Meets
Required Length 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: paper is 4-6 pages (1st paper) or 6-8 pages (2nd paper), NOT including title page and source page
Lower the score if: uses obvious padding techniques
like larger fonts or 2.5 spacing or bulky irrelevant quotes or repetition; (for
1st paper), subtract 1
pt if 3rd page does not
reach bottom , subtract 5 pts if less than 3 pages;
(for final paper), subtract 1 pt
if 6th page does not reach
bottom, subtract 5 pts if less than 6 pages;
Category 13: Cohesiveness of paper/the paper as a whole
0-10 points
LOOK FOR: Paper makes sense; sounds like a single paper, not scattered; flows from point to point; uses transition words between para. but does not abuse them; argues the thesis rather than just strung together facts
Lower the score from 1-10pts if: paper seems to start and stop; radically changes style in the paper, is simply badly written; tries to make one point but doesn’t support it or meanders onto a differently related topic paper;
is informative (too much background, history and definitions
etc) rather than arguing the thesis (-
Category 14: Works Cited (Works Cited in MLA format) 0-5 points
LOOK FOR: minimum 3 sources (1st paper) or 8 sources (2nd paper); minimum 1 book (1st paper) or 2 books (2nd paper); in MLA format; higher score if more than the minimum required number of sources; each source being used at least ONCE in the paper as a citation.
Lower the score if: if all sources beyond minimum books are websites (-5 pts); Works Cited page is not at all in MLA format (-5 pts); subtract 5 pts for each source missing/below the minimum required (for example, subtract 5 pts if 7 sources for final paper); subtract 10 pts for each missing minimum required book); subtract from 1-5 pts depending on how many MLA format problems or incomplete MLA entries on Works Cited page (eg doesn’t give website address or name of book author)
Category 15: Details appear in each paragraph/
"meaty paragraphs full of
content": 0-10 points
LOOK FOR: most paragraphs have DETAILS and SPECIFIC EXAMPLES: statistics, quotes, testimonials, figures, numbers, dates, etc. Higher scores if many quotes used throughout paper.
Lower the score if paragraphs are summaries, with few
direct details and exact examples (-1 to -8 pts); shows no research or
thinking/facts used could be written based only on opinion and belief (-5
pts to -10 pts)
Category 16: Strength
of Arguments 0-5 points
Look For: arguments are well phrased, logical, reasonable, well supported and defended in paper.
Lower the score if emotional language or non-argument based appeals are used outside the intro or conclusion, if arguments are fallacies, especially if not backed up by example and defense (-1 pt per weak/unsupported argument; -5 pts if all arguments are emotional/weak), “I” is used in body of paper, for example “I think” or “I feel” (-1 pt for 1 to 2 occurrences, -2 to -5 for medium to severe use of “I” in the body of the paper)
OTHER PENALTIES: In addition to any points lost in categories above, subtract points below:
1) No Works Cited Page at all (-20 pts) 3) Not at all in MLA format: (-10 pts)
2) No Title page at all (-5 pts) 4) source on Works Cited page NEVER USED in paper (-10 pts each)
5) PLAGIARISM or paper topic is changed without prior approval by instructor (F/Zero).
EXTRA CREDIT: Instructor reserves the right to give up to 5 points of extra credit for: clever/difficult topics or arguments, great improvement, particularly challenging sources used.
GRADING:
A = 100 – 90 pts B
= 89-77 pts C = 76-67 pts D
= 66-57 pts F= less than 57
points
First Paper (4-6 pages)
LAST DAY TO CHANGE/LOCK TOPIC: ________ DUE DATE: _________
EARLY DATE (+5 pts) _________ 1st Late date(-5pts): _____ LAST LATE DATE: (-10 pts)__________
0) 4-6 pages, not including title page or Works Cited and worth _______% of the grade.
1) Paper must be Argumentative
2) Paper topics can be from the list of 100 topics or of the
student’s choosing, narrowed to 6th
level and approved.
4) 3 sources required: minimum 1 book, remaining two sources can be magazines or websites.
5) Will be checked for plagiarism. Plagiarism can lead to an instant F on the paper.
________________________________________________________
ENG102 FINAL PAPER (6-8 pgs) : requirements
LAST DAY TO CHANGE/LOCK TOPIC: ________ DUE DATE: _________
EARLY DATE (+5 pts) _________ LAST LATE DATE: (-10 pts)__________
* 6-8 pages (not including cover page, works cited page, and honor code) and worth _____% of the grade
* Paper must be Argumentative
* Paper topics can be from the list of 100 topics or of the
student’s choosing, narrowed to 6th
level and approved.
* 8 sources minimum (including 2 books minimum)
* Honor Code must be signed
and attached to paper.
*Graded more strictly than 1st paper (see first paper’s score after the slash)
* Works Cited page must be in strict MLA format
Has at least ONE paragraph (right before the conclusion) defending against an OPPOSITE POINT OF VIEW: defend against counterarguments (counterarguments can be opposition point of view, different view-point, limits of budget and reality, difference between ideal & practice, etc).
Will be checked for plagiarism. Plagiarism can lead to an instant F on the course and a possible visit to the dean/potential expulsion.
NAME:
_____________________________________
Sec # ______________ DATE____________
RUBRIC SELF GRADE HW
TO DO:
Either by a friend, family member, or by yourself, go thru your final paper and
give yourself a grade for each category and then total up to a final grade
estimate. This is not the teacher’s
grade, but merely an assessment by someone to guide you and hopefully allow you
to proof and fix your paper.
Give a
point value for each Category. Add up
for estimated/guessed FINAL GRADE.
|
Category 1
(0-5):_______ |
Category 7
(0-5):_______ |
Category 13 (0-10):_______ Paper as a whole |
|
Category 2 (0-10):_______ Thesis breaks down into
supporting & relevant facts |
Category 8 (0-10):_______ Examples/evidence support
per paragraph |
Category 14 (0-5):_______ Works Cited/MLA |
|
Category 3 (0-5):_______ Paper is organized into
paragraphs/size |
Category 9 (0-5):_______ Introduction |
Category 15 (0-10):_______ Details/meaty paras full of
contents |
|
Category 4 (0-5):_______ Spelling |
Category 10 (0-5):_______ Conclusion |
Category 16 (0-5): ___________ Strength of Arguments |
|
Category 5 (0-5):_______ Sentences |
Category 11 (0-5):_______ Quotes used/enough
attribution |
|
|
Category 6 (0-5):_______ Grammar & Words |
Category 12 (0-5):_______ Meets required length |
|
|
FINAL GRADE ___________ |
|
|