Criteria for Evaluating College-Level Writing about Literature |
A grade of C represents satisfactory college-level work; a C paper, therefore, adequately completes the assignment, but would have needed further work and polishing to attain a grade of B or higher. Grades measure the paper's achievement, not the author's effort or ability.
An A paper |
This outstanding paper has a strong and creative thesis. The paper may be organized in traditional ways, or may have an unusual structure; in either case, the structure develops creatively from the subject, rather than simply following a standard pattern. Transitions move the reader gracefully from one idea to the next, on the sentence- and paragraph-level. The paper is specific and detailed; these details fit naturally and easily into the content of the paper. The paper uses a considerable amount of textual evidence from the literary works under discussion, including both paraphrases and direct quotations. The paper is stylistically varied, uses an appropriate level of diction, has precise word choice and varied sentence structures, and is virtually free of mechanical errors.
A B paper |
A B paper is strong, clear, and direct. The thesis is clearly communicated and well argued. The paper is logically organized, with transitions that connect ideas. The paper uses many details, well integrated into the paper's content; the paper includes a good amount of textual evidence from the literature under discussion as well. Stylistically solid, the paper uses accurate word choice, competently structured sentences, and appropriate levels of diction. The paper may contain some minor typographical or mechanical errors, but is largely error free.
A C paper |
The C paper competently addresses the assignment, presenting an arguable thesis, although that thesis may be a bit general or expected. The paper's organization is coherent, but may rely on a learned form, such as the five-paragraph essay, rather than one individually tailored for the subject. While transitions exist in this paper, the logical connections may not always be completely clear. Supportive details are present, but may not be explored or analyzed fully; although the paper does not summarize the plot, it may rely too heavily on paraphrase without direct discussion of the importance of those plot details. The paper's style is competent, with correct sentence structure and adequate word usage. Mechanical errors are not serious; they may at times, however, distract the reader or make a sentence confusing.
A D paper |
A D paper inadequately addresses the assignment; while it may have a thesis, that thesis either may not be fully argued throughout the paper, or may be ignored later in the paper. Organization may be confusing or unclear; insufficient transitions may make moving from one idea to the next difficult. The paper includes only vague details, which are poorly integrated into the paper; the literature in question is often summarized, rather than analyzed and integrated into the argument. The paper lacks stylistic sophistication; sentence structures are consistently simple, with confusing sentence constructions and word choices. The paper suffers from serious mechanical errors or repeated minor errors that impede reading.
An F paper |
An F paper fails to address the assignment; it may be off topic completely, or may lack a thesis. The paper lacks any organizational structure, and includes no details, or details irrelevant to the paper's purpose. An F paper may simply summarize the literature under discussion with no attempt at an argument. Often, the paper is extremely brief and undeveloped. Stylistic concerns typically have not been addressed, with confusing or monotonous sentences, and the paper typically is seriously flawed mechanically, with frequent and serious errors.
This page copyright 2000-2007 by Lisa Hammond | last update 1 June 2007