Research exercise: holistic grading criteria for draft

The following list contains the attributes of a draft that would receive each of the five grade levels
(A, B, C, D, F). In order to maximize performance, students are encouraged to consult and follow
these attributes as they craft their drafts.

Grade: A

• Completes all of the requirements for the assignment (i.e. outline of complete paper,
bibliography, stapled, etc.).
• Clearly organized and proceeds smoothly.
• Sections and paragraphs effectively break article into manageable units and include well
articulated topic sentences.
• Includes a section that concisely delivers the main points of the thesis, arguments, and
supporting evidence of selected journal articles.
• Includes plans for sections and paragraphs that discuss of each of the two articles’ theses,
arguments, logic, and supporting evidence by answering such questions as:
o Is the author’s thesis clearly stated? What is it?
o Do the author’s arguments support her/his thesis?
o Is the evidence strong or weak? Is the evidence used effectively?
o Are there other ways of interpreting the evidence?
o Are the author’s jumps from evidence to conclusion necessary?
o Is the author’s claim persuasive?
o What would make his/her case stronger?
o How does each aspect (i.e. thesis, argument, evidence, logic, organization) of one
article compare with the other?
• Includes plans for sections and paragraphs that compare the strengths and weaknesses of
the two articles, their approaches to the topic, their presentation and use of evidence, and
their conclusions.
• Spells words correctly and has virtually no grammar errors.
• Topic sentences make effective use of transitions to guide the reader.

Grade: B

• Completes most of the requirements for the assignment (i.e. outline of complete paper,
bibliography, stapled, etc.).
• Organized.
• Sections and paragraphs break article into units and includes topic sentences.
• Includes a section that delivers the main points of the thesis, arguments, and supporting
evidence of selected journal articles.
• Includes plans for sections and paragraphs that discuss of each of the article’s theses,
arguments, logic, and supporting evidence by answering most of the questions under
attributes of an ‘A’ paper.

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UGS 303: WRITING, SCRIPTS, & LITERACY

• Includes plans for sections and paragraphs that compare the strengths and weaknesses of
the two articles, their approaches to the topic, their presentation and use of evidence, and
their conclusions, less thoroughly than for an ‘A’ paper.
• Minor spelling and grammar mistakes that do not distract the reader.
• Topic sentences use transition.

Grade: C

• Completes some of the requirements for the assignment (i.e. outline of complete paper,
bibliography, stapled, etc.).
• Less organized.
• Sections and paragraphs break article into units and includes topic sentences, but may be
too broad or too narrow.
• Includes a section that delivers the main points of the thesis, arguments, and supporting
evidence of selected journal articles, but may be lacking in detail.
• Includes plans for sections and paragraphs that discuss of each of the article’s theses,
arguments, logic, and supporting evidence by answering some of the questions under
attributes of an ‘A’ paper.
• Includes incomplete plans for sections and paragraphs that compare the strengths and
weaknesses of the two articles.
• Spelling and grammar mistakes that distract the reader.
• Topic sentences use transitions less often.

Grade: D

• Completes few of the requirements for the assignment (i.e. outline of complete paper,
bibliography, stapled, etc.).
• Disorganized.
• May not include sections and paragraphs that break article into units or include topic
sentences.
• May be missing sections that deliver the main points of the thesis, arguments, and
supporting evidence of selected journal articles, or may be lacking in detail.
• Does not include plans for sections and paragraphs that evaluate each of the article’s
theses, arguments, logic, and supporting evidence and/or does not answer many of the
questions under attributes of an ‘A’ paper.
• Does not include plans for sections and paragraphs that compare the strengths and
weaknesses of the two articles.
• Spelling and grammar mistakes majorly distract the reader.
• Topic sentences do not use transitions.

Grade: F

• Fails to complete the requirements for the assignment.