These
grading standards are adapted from the guidelines established by the Department of English and therefore reflect the overall evaluative approach of other 200-level courses. Please see the syllabus for the grading scale in use by the College of Arts and Sciences.
A
– In these papers, students have exceeded the expectations of the
assignment. All of the claims of the paper are fully supported and
explained, and the overall argument of the paper is purposeful,
thoughtful, and unique. The argument is structured and supported
throughout, and the thesis and conclusion work together to form a
cohesive interpretation. Citations from the text are incorporated
accurately and appropriately, but do not obscure or overload the essay’s
own writing. The paper is almost completely free of grammatical,
mechanical, or punctuation mistakes.
B
– These papers demonstrate the student’s ability to go beyond what is
required of her or him. Each aspect of the assignment is complete and
reveals sound critical thinking skills. Most of the claims here are
fully supported, and the overall argument supports the thesis and
conclusion – although some reasoning may be unclear at times.
Appropriate citations are expected, and the paper may have only a few
grammatical or mechanical errors.
C
– A “C” paper demonstrates the student’s ability to complete the
assignment, and each objective has been completed in a satisfactory way.
Some claims in the paper may not be supported or fully explained. Some
ideas may not seem completely thought out or considered. The student
has not interpreted evidence in the literary text itself to
formulate his or her conclusions, but has relied instead on general
assumptions. The language is clear most of the time, but there are some
confusing passages or sentences. The author has used adequate citations
from the text, and no portion of the paper is plagiarized. The
argument is not well-structured, and the conclusions do not follow from
the thesis or supporting paragraphs.
D
– In this paper, the student has failed to meet the requirements of
the assignment. The argument is poorly structured and relies on flawed
logic and/or reasoning. Citations may be unclear or confusing. Sentence structure and grammar may be unclear, confusing, or overly informal. The
interpretation is not grounded in specific textual evidence, but relies
on general assumptions, opinions, or feelings.
F
– The paper does not complete the assignment in a clear or thoughtful
way. There is not enough evidence for the argument, and the claims are
not supported.
