These grading standards are adapted from the guidelines established by the Department of English and therefore reflect the practices of all instructors. Fortunately, I agree with them.
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. 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.
