History and Military History Written Assignment Rubric
Criteria Excellent (A – A-)
Format / • Paper neatly typed and
Submission formatted according to
assignment guidelines.
5 percent • Title page with student
name, course section,
assignment, and date clearly
indicated.
• Paper saved according to
standard guideline –
lastname.course.assignment
• Paper submitted on time
(4.5 – 5 points)
Analysis/Argument • Appropriate topic for paper
and Tone (Purpose length.
/ Thesis) • Focused with a clear,
insightful, informed thesis.
14 percent • Forceful and persuasive
argument amply supported
by carefully chosen and
weighed facts.
• Evidence of sophisticated
comprehension of historical
context and causality.
• The writing is consistently
professional and appropriate
for an academic paper.
(12.6 – 14 points)
Good (B+ - B-)
• Paper typed and formatted
according to assessment
guidelines with few errors.
• Title page missing one or two
required elements missing.
• Paper saved according to
standard guideline –
lastname.course.assignment
• Paper submitted on time.
(4.0 – 4.4 points)
• Topic is good but too large /
narrow for paper length.
• Thesis is clear.
• Good argument supported by
cited facts.
• Sensitivity to historical
context and causality.
• The tone is generally
professional. For the most
part, it is appropriate for an
academic paper.
(11.2 to 12.5 points)
Satisfactory (C+ - C-) Developing (D+ and below)
• Paper typed and • Paper typed with
formatted with some numerous errors.
errors. • Format guidelines not
• Title page missing more followed.
than two of the • No title page
required elements. • Paper saved with vague
• Paper saved using file name.
vague filename. • Paper not submitted in
• Paper not submitted in time.
time.
(3.5 – 3.9 points) (0 – 3.4 points)
• Topic is considerably • Topic is considerably too
too large / narrow for large / narrow for paper
paper length and / or length and / or marginally
marginally related to related to the course.
the course. • Simple chronology with
• Thesis is not clear. no discernable argument.
• Paper organized more • Logical and factual errors.
toward chronology than • Significant problems with
analysis and argument. understanding of
• The tone is not historical content.
consistently • The tone is unprofessional
professional or and not appropriate for
appropriate for an an academic paper.
academic paper.
(9.8 – 11.1 points) (0 – 9.7 points)
 History and Military History Written Assignment Rubric
Content • Relevant and legitimate
information clearly supports
30 percent the argument and shows a
thoughtful, in-depth analysis
of a significant topic.
• The reader gains important
insights.
• Demonstrates the author
gained in-depth new
knowledge about the topic.
(27 – 30 points)
Research and • Five relevant primary /
Documentation secondary sources
demonstrating extensive, in-
25 percent depth research.
• No tertiary sources.
• Little reliance on tertiary
sources.
• Sources skillfully
incorporated into the paper
at all necessary points.
• At least five citations and
five sources listed in the
bibliography.
• Citations from at least two
sources.
• Citations and bibliography
follow the Chicago Manual
of Style.
(22.5 - 25 points)
• Information provides
reasonable support for the
argument and displays
evidence of a basic analysis of
the topic.
• The reader gains some
important insights.
• Demonstrates the author
gained solid new knowledge
about the topic and
significance of events.
(24 – 26.9 points)
• Three to four relevant
primary / secondary sources
revealing adequate research.
• No tertiary sources.
• Sources appropriately
referenced in the paper.
• No more than two major
citation errors.
• Three to four citations and
three to four sources in the
bibliography.
• Citations from at least two
sources.
• Citations and bibliography do
not follow the Chicago
Manual of Style.
(20 – 22.4 points)
• Information supports • The argument not clearly
the argument at times. identified.
• Analysis is basic or • Analysis is vague or not
general. evident.
• The reader gains a few • Reader is confused or may
important insights. be misinformed;
• Demonstrates the important insights are not
author gained some evident.
new knowledge about • Demonstrates that author
the topic and the gained minimal new
significance of events. knowledge about the
topic.
(21 – 23.9 points) (0 – 20.9 points)
• Two to three relevant • Over reliance on tertiary
secondary sources; no sources.
primary sources. • Spotty documentation of
• More than one tertiary facts.
source. • Pattern of citation errors.
• Some facts not • One or less citation and
referenced. one or less source.
• Several citation errors. • Citation from only one
• Two to three citations source.
and two to three • Citations and bibliography
sources in the do not follow the Chicago
bibliography. Manual of Style.
• Citations from at least
two sources.
• Citations and
bibliography do not
follow the Chicago
Manual of Style.
(17.5 – 19.9 points) (0 – 17.4 points)
 History and Military History Written Assignment Rubric
Organization and • The ideals logically support
Style the purpose or argument.
• They flow smoothly from
10 percent one to another and clearly
linked to each other.
• The reader can follow the
line of reasoning.
• Concise introduction with
clear thesis.
• Extremely well organized
and supported argument.
• Cogent, summative
conclusion.
(9 – 10 points)
Grammar / • Paper essentially free of
Spelling grammatical, punctuation,
and spelling errors.
16 percent
(14.4 – 16 points)
• The ideas logically support
the central purpose or
argument.
• Ideas usually clearly linked to
each other.
• For the most part, the reader
can follow the line of
reasoning.
• Concise introduction with
clear thesis.
• Organized and appropriate
examples.
• Conclusion does not
summarize the point.
(8 – 8.9 points)
• A few grammatical,
punctuation, and spelling
errors.
(12.8 – 14.3 points)
• In general, the writing is • The writing is not logically
logical, although organized. Frequently,
occasionally ideas fail to ideas fail to make sense
make sense together. together. The reader
• The reader is fairly clear cannot identify a line of
about what the writer reasoning and loses
intends. interests.
• Introduction weak. • Little evidence of
• Organization weak. coherent organization
• Conclusion weak.
(7 – 7.9 points) (0 – 6.9 points)
• Several grammatical, • Pattern of grammatical,
punctuation, and punctuation, and spelling
spelling errors. errors.
• Sentences awkwardly • Errors in sentence
constructed causing the structure are frequent
reader occasional enough to be a major
distraction. distraction to the reader.
(11.2 – 12.7 points) (0 – 11.1 points)