Kyle Bishop

Essay Grading Rubric

Category Purpose/ Thesis A (4)
Purpose and thesis are original and sophisticated, delving beyond the surface of the assignment. Essay shows complex rhetorical development. Paragraphs are tight, well structured, and logical.

C (2)

F (0)

Purpose is clear and adheres to Assignment fails to fulfill the the assignment description. requirements or lacks a clear Thesis is readily identifiable. purpose or thesis. Essay contains a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Paragraphs make sense and are linked with appropriate transitions. Ideas are sophisticated and logically developed. Readers can readily follow the ideas. Essay goes beyond summary, providing in-depth analysis and specific claims. Many claims are too general and lack specific support. Evidence is drawn from the text or another reputable source. Evidence is pertinent, valid, and documented correctly. No organization. Poor structure with incoherent paragraphs. No transitions are used to join arguments. Ideas are basic or incoherent.

Organization/ Logic

Ideas delve beneath the surface and say something new and original. Analysis depth exceeds Content/ expectations. Details are Details thorough, advanced, and sophisticated. Generalizations If generalizations are made, they are warranted by the content of the essay. Evidence is presented with Evidence/ sophistication, style, and Citation finesse. Documentation of sources is flawless.

Idea Development

Essay is shallow and basic, focusing on surface details only. Unsupported generalizations and stereotypes abound. Ideas and claims have no support or evidence is unfounded; source material is used with no attempt at documentation.

Audience/ Tone

Style/ Expression

Grammar/ Punctuation Format/ MLA

Polished tone clearly tailored to Appropriate tone for academic Casual, colloquial tone. an appropriate, academic writing. Generally formal with Inappropriate use of slang. audience. no second-person pronouns. Written to a non-academic audience. Style is sophisticated, Essay reflects appropriate Style is inappropriate for the advanced, and varied. Sentence academic style with subject matter. No variety is style and structure is likewise consistency. Variety is shown shown in sentence structure or impressive. in sentence structure. content. No grammar or punctuation Few grammar errors are Grammar is sloppy with errors exist. present. Essay has clearly been numerous surface errors. proofread and edited. Essay is perfectly formatted Essay conforms to required Essay does not conform to according to MLA format with minor errors. required format. requirements.