Grade Breakdown
| Assignment | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Informal Assignments | 5% |
| Book Review | 5% |
| Play Analysis | 15% |
| Critical Analysis | 25% |
| Midterm Exam | 20% |
| Final Exam | 25% |
| Poster Presentation | 5% |
In grading papers for this class, I will use the following criteria:
| Grade | Criteria |
|---|---|
| A | Confident, persuasive written expression An original approach to the work in question A strong thesis statement that is arguable and interesting A clear, well-organized argument Engagement with the audience in a manner that commands attention Consistently good use of evidence in support of contentions and in accordance with MLA format Nearly flawless mechanics (format, spelling, grammar) |
| B | Clear written expression with a few minor breakdowns Somewhat original approach to the work in question A strong thesis statement that is arguable and interesting A well-organized argument that signals its structure to readers by way of effective transitional sentences Adequate 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 though with a few breakdowns A thesis statement that is arguable and interesting An organized argument Use of evidence in support of 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 the argument A thesis statement that is either not arguable or is uninteresting An argument that has minimal organization Use of evidence to support contentions that is wildly 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 Lack of 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 |