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 states lacks interest. topic.
thesis is exceptionally 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 to information has

knowledge: researched, contains 3 to the main topic. 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 a and from 3 good Shows a limited weak or no
logical manner. sources. References variety of sources. connection to the
____ References are correctly are correctly cited References are not thesis. References
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 stated Many ideas require Paper does not
____ relevant, with no clearly and are clarification and/or meet the criteria for
grammatical and/or related to the topic, are off-topic or have the assignment (too
spelling errors – with only minor marginal relevance to short or
polished and grammatical and/or the assignment. incomplete, too
professional. Reference spelling errors. Many grammatical long, and/or
section properly Reference section and/or spellings completely off-
formatted. adequate. errors throughout the topic). Reference
paper. The paper is section missing.
very challenging to
read due to poor
writing flow.
Improper reference
section.