GRADING RUBRIC FOR A RESEARCH PAPER—out of 100 points total

CATEGORY 15 points 11 points 7 points 3 points

Introduction/ exceptional introduction proficient basic introduction weak or no

Thesis that grabs interest of introduction that is that states topic but introduction of
____ reader and states topic. interesting and lacks interest. topic.
thesis is exceptionally states topic. thesis is somewhat paper’s purpose is
clear, well-developed, thesis is clear and clear and arguable. unclear/thesis is
and a definitive arguable statement weak or missing.
statement. of position.

Content paper is exceptionally information relates information relates information has

knowledge: researched, contains 3 to the main topic. to the main topic, but little or nothing to
Quality of peer reviewed articles, Paper, is well- few details and/or do with the thesis.
Research the 3 articles relate to researched in detail examples are given. information has
the thesis argument in and from 3 good Shows a limited weak or no
a logical manner. sources. References variety of sources. connection to the
____ References are are correctly cited References are not thesis. References
correctly cited cited correctly are not cited
correctly.

Content exceptionally critical, consistent some connections limited or no

application: relevant and consistent connections made made between connections made
Support of Thesis connections made between evidence evidence and thesis. between evidence
and Analysis between evidence and and thesis some analysis. and thesis.
thesis. good analysis. lack of analysis.
____
excellent analysis.

Conclusion excellent summary of good summary of basic summary of lack of summary of

____ thesis argument with topic with clear topic with some final topic.
concluding ideas that concluding ideas. concluding ideas.
impact reader. introduces no new introduces no new
introduces no new information. information.
information.

Writing Writing is clear and Most ideas are Many ideas require Paper does not
____ relevant, with no stated clearly and clarification and/or meet the criteria
grammatical and/or are related to the are off-topic or have for the assignment
spelling errors – topic, with only marginal relevance (too short or
polished and minor grammatical to the assignment. incomplete, too
professional. Reference and/or spelling Many grammatical long, and/or
section properly errors. Reference and/or spellings completely off-
formatted. section adequate. errors throughout the topic). Reference
paper. The paper is section missing.
very challenging to
read due to poor
writing flow.
Improper reference
section.