These guidelines apply to a typed or computer-printed paper which is assumed to be on-time and correctly formatted. Effort in itself is not being measured, but rather the product of effort: what the actual essay turns out to be, as a proofread final version.

This department requires MLA format for citation of source material.

In applying the rubric, essays by default start at C and rise or fall from there, depending on their merits or weaknesses. In addition, all plagiarized papers are an F; repeated instances of plagiarism can lead to expulsion from this college.

The C Essay

C work is substantial and complete, doing what the assignment asks and convincingly reaching its audience a majority of the time. The C paper clearly represents satisfactory college-level writing as measured by thesis, development, and grammatical control.

Specifically, the C paper:
• presents a relevant thesis which is both provable and worth proving
• develops its thesis through sustained and unified paragraphs
• organizes those paragraphs effectively, including transitions and conclusions
• cites sources correctly and provides a balanced selection of argument and evidence
• uses diction appropriate to the assignment and to the audience
• acknowledges the conventions of academic writing
• controls spelling, punctuation, and sentence boundaries

The B Essay

B work is well above average, doing not only what the assignment asks and connecting with its audience, but doing so with some extra measure of expression or control. It is better than typical in many if not most respects—language, ambition, research, or effect. It reveals not mere competence but sustained achievement, and because of this, it embodies an ambition for excellence throughout.

Specifically, the B paper:
• presents an interesting, relevant thesis which takes us far beyond the mundane
• develops that thesis through sustained, unified, rhetorically superior paragraphs
• organizes information with dexterity, with excellent transitions between sections
• cites sources skillfully and provides a strong range of discussion and evidence
• selects diction with care and art, persuasively matching argument to audience
• demonstrates mastery of the conventions of academic writing
• controls spelling, uses punctuation effectively, and varies sentence elements

The A Essay

The best of college thinking and writing, an A paper meets and even exceeds a reader’s expectations. Although not perfect, it has courage, articulation, and accomplishment, from its adept and original title to its ambitious thesis to its rich and diverse citations list. Compelling prose and (often) an innovative structure result in an engaging essay. An A paper clearly stands out from other work around it.

Specifically, the A paper:
• presents and defends an engaging, insightful thesis
• develops its thesis in dynamic and successful ways, matching form with function
• explores sophisticated possibilities for structure and juxtaposition
• cites sources aptly, refutes objections, and closely examines a deep body of evidence
• uses mature diction which reveals a complex sense of voice and audience
• displays advanced fluency in the conventions of academic writing
• has no problems with spelling, punctuation, or sentence boundaries

The D Essay

D work is substandard for any of several reasons, including being off-topic, poorly reasoned, or inadequately developed. Often it doesn’t connect with an appropriate audience, sometimes because sentence and format errors create so much static the writing is markedly difficult to read. Despite some strengths or partial development,
overall, a D paper is not passing, college-level writing.

Specifically, the D paper:
• presents an inadequate, trivial, disconnected, or off-topic thesis
• often cannot maintain developed, unified, contiguous paragraphs
• often presents information out of order or has no clear structure
• cites sources incorrectly or does not discuss convincing, college-level evidence
• aims for the wrong audience or no audience at all
• ignores or misapplies the conventions of academic writing
• fails to control spelling, punctuation, or sentence boundaries

The F Essay

Significantly below college-level writing, an F paper fails completely, for any of several reasons. These may include flawed logic, no development, limited or missing audience awareness, a lack of facility with language, or an inability to apply the conventions of standard written English. In addition, plagiarized work always takes an F.

Specifically, the F paper:
• presents too many theses, no single thesis, or an irrelevant thesis
• contains chaotic paragraphs (or no paragraphs at all)
• uses extremely weak structure with little or no evidence or discussion
• cites sources haphazardly or not at all
• exhibits multiple sentence boundary and syntax errors
• reveals constant and severe problems with spelling, punctuation, or grammar