Some remarks about the rubric’s criteria:

1.Structure
Make sure to divide the body of your essay into an introduction,
paragraphs, and a conclusion.  Your introduction should tell the
reader what your essay is about, and what conclusion you will
arrive at.  Stating the conclusion briefly in the introduction allows
your reader to pay attention to important points in your essay that
lead up to your conclusion.  It is best to first write your essay, see
where your work leads you, and write your introduction after you
have completed your essay.
 

2. Main sources mentioned in body of text

Make sure to mention the title(s) of the works that you are focusing
on in your introduction, as well as the names of the
authors/directors of these works.
 

3. Accuracy of references to texts (readings and films)

Make sure not to misquote a text or to claim something wrong
about a text.  For example, it would be inaccurate to say
that Metropolis is about an alien longing to go home (that would
be E.T.)
 

4. Demonstrated understanding of texts (readings and films)

and the illustration of abstract points with concrete
examples
In your essay, make sure to explain things.  Whenever you make
an abstract point, try to illustrate it with a concrete example.  For
example, according to Schiebinger, the ancient Greeks claimed that
women were inferior to men and one example for this was their
view that female bodies are not fully developed.  Keep in mind that
quotations are not explanations.  Whenever you use a technical
term, (such as 'four-element-theory,' or 'dualism') explain it to the
reader.
 
5. Quality of assessment of discussed material
Make sure to explain the reasons for why you find something
plausible or convincing, or why not.  For example, it is correct that
the beliefs circulating in antiquity are, for the most part, not
convincing.  In order to convince your reader of it, you have to
explain to them why.
 

6. Quality of integration of concepts from various sources

Your assignment asks you to make connections between various
sources that we have been covering, such as thinking about a film
and to what extent it reflects beliefs popular in antiquity or the early
modern period, or evaluating the methods of a discipline in light of
Klemke’s requirements for something to qualify as science.  Make
sure to state these connections as clearly and as completely as you
can.
 

7. List of references
Make sure to provide a complete list of accurate references after
the body of your essay.  The complete source for each of our
readings is given at the top of the reading guides.  All ideas that
you include in your essay that are not originally yours need to be
referenced, even if you do not include word-for-word quotations by
their authors in your essay.  You may choose any of the accepted
forms of referencing, such as MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, etc.,
but you have to use the style you decide on consistently.  Films you
refer to in your essay need to be included in your list of references
by listing the title, country of production, and year of original
release.
 

8. Spelling
Check your essay for spelling errors.
 

9. Grammar
Make sure to check your grammar.
 

10. Independence of articulation

Make sure to express things in your own words and to not deliver a
string of quotations, citations from Canvas pages, and lecture
notes.
 

11. Clarity and completeness of articulation

Make sure that your essay clearly expresses what you want to say
and that you cover all the aspects relevant to your topic.  Imagine a
reader who is intelligent but does not have your advanced
background.  Do you articulate things in a way that makes them
clearly understandable and allows your reader to learn from your
essay?
 

12. Distinction between primary sources, reported facts in

secondary sources and evaluation in secondary sources
For example, Wertheim, in God, Women, and the New
Physics quotes Kant as saying that women engaging in science
might as well have a beard.  Kant is her primary source.  She also
reports on the theory of complementarity as a historical fact and
assesses it as unconvincing.  It would be wrong to say that
Wertheim believes that women in science might as well have
beards or that men and women are different but complementary
beings.  Her reporting, explaining, and evaluating these beliefs
does not mean that she is endorsing them.
 

Rubric
Rubric: Gender in Science. Writing Assignment 1
 Rubric: Gender in Science. Writing Assignment 1

Criteria Ratings

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts
Outcome1. Exemplary Good Limited Needs Impr
Structure Essay is clearly and Essay is divided into Essay is somewhat Division in t
meaningfully divided into introduction, paragraphs in structured but lacks clear and are arbitrary
Division into introduction, paragraphs main body of text, and meaningful division into not structure
introduction, in the main body of the conclusion but some introduction, paragraphs in meaningfully
paragraphs, and text, and conclusion divisions could be more the main body of the text,
conclusion meaningful or a are lacking and conclusion
 Rubric: Gender in Science. Writing Assignment 1

Criteria Ratings

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning
Outcome2.
Main sources
mentioned in 5 pts 4 pts 3 pts
body of text Exemplary Good Limited
Explicit Titles of readings/films and Titles of readings/films and the names Some titles of readings/films t
statement of names of their authors/directors of their authors/directors are stated, the principal focus of the essa
titles of are stated completely and but not completely and/or not fully the names of their authors/dire
correctly accurately missing
readings/films
and names of
authors/director
s of principal
sources in body
of essay

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning
Outcome3. 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts
Accuracy of Exemplary Good Limited Needs Improvemen
Relevant content of Relevant content of Relevant content of Relevant content of
references to
readings/films is stated readings/films is stated readings/films is stated, readings/films is only
readings/films correctly, completely correctly, completely, and but at times incorrectly, occasionally stated, a
Correctness of and clearly clearly for the most part, incompletely, and/or not for the most part,
statements about but not always clearly correctly
content of
readings/films
addressed

This criterion is 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts

linked to a Exemplary Good Limited Needs Improvement
Learning Issues are explained Issues are explained Issues are explained but for Issues are only occasio
Outcome4. clearly and abstract clearly and abstract the most part not clearly, explained, for the most
points are illustrated points are illustrated some examples are provided not clearly. Examples a
Demonstrated
by relevant examples for the most part, but but more/more relevant ones mostly irrelevant or mi
understanding not always could have been given
of
readings/films
Clarity of
explanation of
relevant issues /
Illustration of
 Rubric: Gender in Science. Writing Assignment 1

Criteria Ratings

abstract points
with concrete
examples

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning
Outcome5.
Quality of
assessment of 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts
materials Exemplary Good Limited Needs improvemen
Assessment of facts and Assessment of facts and Assessment of facts and Assessment of facts
Discussion of
beliefs is plausible and beliefs is plausible and beliefs is somewhat beliefs is incomplet
facts and clearly supported by for the most part plausible and/or not always implausible, and/or
evaluation of argument and evidence supported by argument supported by argument and supported by argum
beliefs and evidence evidence
expressed in
primary sources
or by authors of
secondary
sources

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts
Outcome6. Exemplary Good Limited Needs Im
Integration of Clear and complete Demonstration of how Demonstration of how Demonstr
demonstration of how material from one source can material from one source can material f
multiple sources
material from one source be meaningful applied in the be meaningful applied in the be meani
Quality of can be meaningful applied in interpretation/assessment of interpretation/assessment of interpreta
connections the interpretation/assessment another source lacks some another source is promising another s
established of another source clarity or completeness but incomplete and lacking in and barel
between detail.
different sources

This criterion is
linked to a 5 pts 4 pts 3 pts
Learning Examplary Good Limited
Outcome7. List The list of references provided is The list of references is complete but The list of references i
complete and sources are accurately sources are not always referenced or sources are not refe
of references referenced accurately accurately
 Rubric: Gender in Science. Writing Assignment 1

Criteria Ratings

This criterion is
linked to a 5 pts 4 pts 3 pts
Learning Exemplary Good Needs Improvement
Everything, including the name of authors and Almost everything is Essay has a significant a
Outcome8. technical terms is spelled correctly spelled correctly spelling errors
Spelling

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts
Exemplary Good Limited Needs Improvement
Outcome9. Grammar is Grammar is Grammar is mostly used Grammar is compromised to an ext
Grammar consistently used mostly used correctly but some not allow for unambiguous understa
correctly correctly significant grammatical portions of the essay and/or signific
mistakes occur grammatical mistakes occur repeate

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning
Outcome10. 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts
Exemplary Good Limited Needs Improvement
Independence of Things are articulated in Things are for the most Things are somewhat Things are occasiona
articulation the author's own words, part articulated in the articulated in the author's articulated in the auth
Degree to which independently of author's own words, own words, own words with a str
author achieves formulations in the independently of independently of tendency to fall back
expression of source materials, wrap- formulations in the source formulations in the formulations in readi
ups provided, etc. materials, wrap-ups source materials, wrap- and/or lecture notes
things in their provided, etc. ups provided, etc.
own words

This criterion is 10 pts 8 pts 7 pts 5 pts

linked to a Examplary Good Limited Needs Improvem
Learning Essay achieves a clear Essay achieves a mostly clear Essay achieves clear and Essay does not a
Outcome11. and complete and complete complete explanation and clear or complete
explanation and explanation/evaluation of the evaluation but only on explanation or ev
Clarity and
evaluation of the topic topic isolated aspects of the of the topic
completeness of topic
articulation
Degree of
clarity of
explanation and
evaluation of
issues relevant
 Rubric: Gender in Science. Writing Assignment 1

Criteria Ratings

to topic

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning
Outcome12.
Handling of
primary and
secondary
sources
Handling of
5 pts 4 pts 3 pts
primary and Examplary Good Limited
secondary Clear distinction between Primary and secondary sources Primary and secondary sources and
sources primary sources, secondary and the evaluation of primary the evaluation of primary sources
Distinction sources, and assessment of sources and historical facts in and historical facts in secondary
between primary sources and secondary sources are sources are distinguished, but not
historical facts in secondary distinguished, but not always, or always and occasionally incorrectly
primary sources, sources not always clearly
the reporting of
facts in
secondary
sources, and the
evaluation of
primary sources
and facts in
secondary
sources

Total Points: 100