EVALUATION CRITERIA
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CONTENT |
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Honors (A or B) |
The essay contains relevant, specific details to support a single controlling idea. The use of evidence (facts and figures, anecdotes, examples, quotations, etc.) will convenience readers. Sources are carefully chosen, show deliberate research, and support the overall goals of the paper. Paper introduces sources, quotes them accurately and interprets them for the reader. The substance of the essay offers new insight on the topic, a fresh treatment of the subject; it doesn't just rehash current wisdom. |
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Average (C) |
The essay contains few or irrelevant details. It isn't particularly convincing and it offers few, if any, insights to the topic. Sources, though carefully quoted and cited, may not be introduced or interpreted for the reader. The sources seem carelessly chosen, not the best support for the argument the author is making. |
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Poor (D) |
The essay contains random, unfocused ideas; its content is unclear, muddled, contradictory, or general, with little support offered for the generalizations it makes. Sources seem randomly chosen; material not written by the paper’s author is included but not cited or paraphrased. |
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ORGANIZATION |
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Honors (A or B) |
The overall logic of the essay is clear and forecasted. Transitions between sentences and paragraphs are logical and the writer has tried to signal at every point where the essay is going. |
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Average (C) |
Although the writer maintains a focus on one controlling idea consistently throughout the essay, some transitions are nonexistent, weak, or mechanical. The logic of the connections is unclear. |
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Poor (D) |
The writer does not develop the material for the essay. It lacks a clear thesis and confuses readers because it contains leaps in logic, loosely arranged sentences, few if any transitions, and confused ideas presented seemingly at random. |
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EXPRESSION |
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Honors (A or B) |
The writer uses a consistent voice appropriate to the purpose and audience of the essay. Sentences are varied in length and type, and the writer uses diction that both stimulates the audience to read the essay and effectively conveys the main points of the essay. |
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Average (C) |
The writer experiences occasional diction or syntax problems; the essay simply isn't written as clearly or convincingly as it needs to be. Sentences and word choice are somewhat varied, but the writer could have paid closer attention to this aspect of the essay. |
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Poor (D) |
Simplistic diction and sentence structure characterize the essay. Unclear writing or major usage problems obscure the writer's meaning at points. |
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EDITING |
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Honors (A or B) |
The writer makes few if any spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors. Errors that do appear are minor compared to the overall sophistication of the work. |
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Average (C) |
The essay contains a few correctness problems, but the writer's meaning remains fairly clear. |
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Poor (D) |
Numerous correctness problems which cause confusion for readers and present major distractions from the point of the essay. |
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Grading |
A= 92-100; B=82-91; C=72-81; D=61-71; F= below 60 |
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Elizabeth Birmingham |
Office: (701)
231-6587 Prospective students may schedule a visit by calling: 1-800-488-NDSU. |
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