DATE: September 2002

TO: Students in my English sections

FROM: Pete Ellertsen, instructor

SUBJECT: GRADING STANDARDS

When I grade selected papers in my sections of freshman English composition (ENG 111 and 112), I use a "rubric" or checklist that evaluates your written work according to as many as 12 criteria commonly used as grading standards at colleges and universities across the United States. (Not all of the criteria will be used in grading each and every essay, but most of them apply to most writing situations.) It is my hope that the procedure will give you more systematic feedback on your writing. It also helps me to assess how well I'm doing in making out assignments and explaining them to you, and to plan my classes for continuous improvement based on that feedback.

The grading critera are:

• A = EXCELLENT (1) Responds fully to what the assignment asks; (2) Presents a clear statement of thesis or dominant impression containing the issue to be analyzed and the position to be taken; (3) Exercises critical thinking that is clear, logical (coherent & relevant), deep, broad, and discriminating; (4) Expresses its purpose clearly and persuasively; (5) Invokes and uses facts correctly; (6) Provides adequate supporting arguments with reasons, evidence, and examples; (7) Is focused, well organized, and unified; (8) Uses direct language that is appropriate for the audience; (9) Identifies and evaluates sources when appropriate; (10) Correctly documents and cites sources; (11) Is free of errors in grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and format; and (12) Displays originality and creativity in realizing items (1) through (9) above.
• B = VERY GOOD Realizes high quality in (1) through (11) fully and completely --- but does not reveal originality or creativity.
• C = ADEQUATE Realizes adequacy in (1) through (11) and demonstrates overall competence --- but contains relatively minor errors or flaws. A "C" paper may show great creativity and originality, but those qualities don't compensate for poor or careless writing. A "C" paper is adequate in all regards but could use polish and usually looks and reads like a next-to-final draft.
• D = WEAK Fails to realize some elements of (1) through (11) adequately and contains several relatively serious errors or flaws or many minor ones. A "D" paper is less than adequate for public presentation and often looks and reads like a first or second draft.
• E = POOR Fails to realize several elements of (1) through (11) adequately andcontains many serious errors or flaws as well as many minor ones. An "E" paper usually contains fatal errors of thought or execution and usually looks and reads like private writing.

Click here to see a sample rubric.

Click here to return to my faculty webpage.