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Text is clear and focused; captures reader’s attention. Topic is narrow, thoughtful, intellectually stimulating, and manageable. Details are relevant, interesting, vivid, accurate. Details support the paper’s main idea. Free from overgeneralization and other fallacies. Ideas engage, inspire, or intrigue reader. Minimum of 10 full pages.
– Order compels, enhances, and moves ideas. Introduction intrigues, invites; conclusion resolves. Leads skillfully to the thesis and on to the main body. Thoughtful transitions show how ideas connect. Sequencing is logical and effective. Pacing is well controlled and purposeful. Organization flows smoothly; matches purpose.
– Writing is compelling, engaging; aware of audience. Tone is interesting and appropriate for audience and purpose. Author’s presence is evident, powerful. Honest, engaging, personal. Strives for academic language but is not overly formal and stiff.
– Words are precise, interesting, engaging, powerful. Words are specific, accurate, and clear. Words and phrases are striking and memorable. Language is natural, effective, and appropriate. Verbs are lively, nouns precise, modifiers effective. Choices enhance meaning.
– Writing flows with rhythm and cadence. Elegant. Sentences are constructed to enhance meaning. Sentences vary in length and structure. Sentences use purposeful, varied beginnings. Connecting words join and build on other words. Writing has cadence; it moves, has music to it.
– Observes and uses standard conventions; few errors. Spelling is mostly correct, even on difficult words. Punctuation is accurate, even creative and effective. Capitalization skills are evident and consistent. Grammar and usage are correct and enhance the text. Paragraphing is sound, reinforces organization. Writer may manipulate conventions for style.
– Works Cited has few to no errors. Header, heading, spacing, title, font, size, margins all correct. Uses a variety of high quality sources. In-text citations are provided for directly quoted and paraphrased material. Quotations are skillfully integrated with no dropped or awkward grammar. Sources line up directly with Works Cited. They have author’s last name OR article title (in quotations). Punctuation is correctly placed outside the parenthesis, not inside or before.
