English 5375
Assignments
Assignments
| Midterm Exam | 15% |
| Poem Analysis | 10% |
| Poetry Research Paper | 35% |
| Final Exam (cumulative) | 25% |
| Quizzes | 5% |
| Presentation | 5% |
| Participation (including attendance and informal assignments) | 5% |
Paper Grading Standards
In grading papers for this class, I will use the following criteria:
| A | Confident, persuasive written expression An original approach to the work in question A strong thesis statement that is arguable and interesting Clarity and effective organization of its argument Engagement with its audience in a manner that commands attention Consistently good use of evidence in support of your contentions and in accordance with MLA format Nearly flawless mechanically (format, spelling, grammar) |
| B | Clear written expression with a few minor breakdowns Somewhat original approach to the work in question A strong, arguable, interesting thesis statement Well-organized argument that signals its structure to readers by way of effective transitional sentences Good use of evidence to support your contentions and in accordance with MLA format Only a few mechanical flaws |
| C | Satisfaction of the basic demands of the assignment General clarity of writing, though with the occasional breakdown A thesis statement that is arguable and interesting A well-organized argument Use of evidence in support of your contentions and in accordance with MLA format, though not consistently Several mechanical flaws, but not so many that they confuse the meaning of your paper |
| D | Falling short of the basic demands of the assignment Numerous breakdowns impairing the clarity of your argument A thesis statement that is either not arguable or is uninteresting An argument with minimal organization Use of supporting evidence that is inconsistent and/or not in accordance with the MLA format Numerous mechanical flaws interfering with paper clarity |
| F | Failure to satisfy the basic demands of the assignment Unclear writing style Lacks a thesis statement No clear argument—seemingly random arrangement of ideas Mechanical flaws throughout the paper No use of evidence to support the argument or plagiarized work |
12 January 2018