SCORING GUIDE version 6

 

6 Outstanding

A 6 paper skillfully argues a clear and specific position supported with relevant evidence and demonstrates excellent control of the elements of writing.  A typical paper in this category exhibits all of the following characteristics:

  1. Presents a compelling, clear and debatable claim which is focused and specific;
  2. Provides ample relevant, concrete evidence and persuasive support[1] for every debatable assertion by synthesizing information and arguments from multiple, reliable sources, summarizing them fairly, and assessing them critically;
  3. Displays clear and consistent overall organization that relates all of the ideas  together;
  4. Develops ideas cogently, organizes them logically within paragraphs, and connects them with highly effective transitions;
  5. Demonstrates outstanding control of language, including effective word  choice and sentence variety;
  6. Demonstrates superior facility with the conventions of standard written English (i.e. grammar, usage, and mechanics) but may have minor errors.

 

5 Strong

A 5 paper competently argues a position, provides relevant supporting detail, and demonstrates good control of the elements of writing.  A typical paper in this category exhibits all of the following characteristics:

  1. Presents an interesting, clear, and debatable claim;
  2. Provides relevant, concrete evidence and persuasive support for most debatable assertions by using multiple reliable sources, but does not always assess them critically;
  3. Displays clear and consistent overall organization that relates most of the ideas together;
  4. Develops unified and coherent ideas within paragraphs with clear transitions;
  5. Demonstrates strong control of language including appropriate word choice and sentence variety;
  6. Demonstrates facility with the conventions of standard written English (i.e. grammar, usage, and mechanics) but may have minor errors.

 

4 Adequate

A 4 paper argues a position, provides supporting detail, and generally demonstrates control of the elements of writing.  A typical paper in this category exhibits all of the following characteristics:

  1. Presents a claim that raises some debate, but may lack some specificity;
  2. Provides evidence and support for most assertions by using sources, some of which may be unreliable and used uncritically;
  3. Displays overall organization, but some ideas may seem illogical and/or unrelated;
  4. Demonstrates unified and coherent ideas within paragraphs with generally adequate transitions;
  5. Demonstrates generally clear and effective control of language;
  6. Demonstrates competence with the conventions of standard written English (i.e. grammar, usage, and mechanics) but may have some errors.

 

 

3 Limited

A 3 paper may attempt to argue a position that is uneven in its focus and/or development; or it may demonstrate uneven control of the elements of writing.  A typical paper in this category exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

  1. Presents a claim that is vague, limited and/or barely debatable;
  2. Provides little analysis or persuasive reasoning, uses limited sources, and/or relies predominantly on sweeping generalizations, narration, description, or summary, or goes off its claim or focus;
  3. Demonstrates uneven and/or ineffective overall organization;
  4. Generally develops and organizes ideas in paragraphs which are not necessarily connected with transitions;
  5. Displays problems in word choice and sentence structure which sometimes interfere with meaning; sentences may be inadequately varied;
  6. Contains occasional major or frequent minor errors in grammar, usage, and/or mechanics that can interfere with meaning.

 

2 Seriously Limited

A 2 paper may assert a position that is unfocused, and/or undeveloped; or it may demonstrate little control of the elements of writing.  A typical paper in this category exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

  1. Presents a claim that is not clear, consistent, or debatable;
  2. Lacks analysis or persuasive reasoning and/or relies solely on narration, description and/or summary of sources; the essay is likely to go off its claim or focus;
  3. Displays no consistent overall organization;
  4. Does not develop ideas cogently, organize them logically within paragraphs and/or connect them with clear transitions;
  5. Displays problems in word choice and sentence structure that frequently interfere with meaning;  sentences are inadequately varied in structure;
  6. Contains a combination of errors in grammar, usage, and/or mechanics that frequently interfere with meaning.

 

1 Fundamentally Deficient

A 1 paper attempts to address the topic, but without success.  A typical paper in this category exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

  1. Presents no claim;
  2. Presents no relevant support;
  3. Presents ideas non-sequentially;
  4. Uses language and style that are inappropriate for the given audience, purpose, and/or occasion;
  5. Contains few sentences that are free of errors which consistently interfere with meaning.

 

0 Off topic

·         Keystrokes; written in a foreign language; or no reference to topic.

 

N/A Not Applicable

·         Students who should be out of sample (e.g., taken ill, submitted a completely blank document).

 

Reward the writers for what they do.  The score for an exceptionally well-written paper may be raised by one point above the otherwise appropriate score.  In no case should a poorly written essay be scored higher than a three.


[1] Supports include (but are not limited to) reasons, examples, quotations, and data.