Grading Rubric for Undergraduate Term Papers

Characteristic Outstanding Above Average Average Below Average Failing

Topical The paper is tightly The paper is The paper is mostly The paper is The paper is not
Requirements focused on the focused on the focused on the marginally related related to the
10 assigned topic and assigned topic and assigned topic but to the assigned assigned topic
highlights its mentions its does not explain its topic
significance significance significance
Organization The paper is well The paper is The paper has The paper has The paper has poor
15 organized and reasonably well decent organization inadequate organization and is
flows well, with organized and has and some segues organization and very choppy
segues between good flow few segues
paragraphs and
sections
Grammar, Grammar is Grammar is mostly Grammar is mostly There are several There are
spelling, and correct, there are correct, there are correct, there are grammatical significant
punctuation no spelling or no spelling or few spelling and/or errors,and there grammatical
10 punctuation errors punctuation errors punctuation errors are spelling or errors,and there
punctuation errors are many spelling
and punctuation
errors
Clarity The paper is clear The paper is mostly The paper is mostly The paper is The paper is mostly
10 and easy to follow; clear and easy to clear and easy to sometimes unclear unclear and hard to
difficult concepts follow; difficult follow; difficult or hard to follow; follow; difficult
are well explained concepts are concepts are not difficult concepts concepts are
adequately explained are ignored or ignored or
explained confused confused
Completeness The paper covers The paper covers The paper covers The paper lacks The paper lacks
20 all of the relevant all of the critical all of the critical some of the critical most or all of the
material and some material but little material critical material
additional relevant more
material
Depth The paper The paper The paper The paper The paper
Characteristic Outstanding Above Average Average Below Average Failing
15 demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates no
some depth of strong basic adequate basic shallow or real or incorrect
understanding of understanding of understanding of incomplete understanding of
the material the material the material understanding of the material
the material
Citations A fair amount of Some work of Some work of Work of others is No work of others
10 others' work of is others is cited, others is cited, cited infrequently or is cited
cited correctly usually correctly mostly correctly incorrectly
References There are several There are several There are There are few There are few or no
10 relevant and relevant and mostly adequate relevant relevant
correct references correct references references, mostly references or most references, or they
to prior work to prior work complete and are incomplete or are incomplete or
correct incorrect incorrect
Delivery The paper was The paper was The paper was The paper was The paper was
(-10% per day late) turned in ahead of turned in on turned within one turned in within a turned in more than
schedule schedule day of the due date week of the due one week late
date