Argument Paper Rubric

The following rubric demonstrates how various aspects of your writing

contribute to your grade. This document, in conjunction with the Paper
Epectations! handout, should ma"e eplicit what "ind of wor" you must
complete to perform well in this class.
A few points to "eep in mind#
$rading is in many ways subjective, but it is not arbitrary.
Thought%Thesis%Argument! is obviously the most important, and this
is re&ected in its being weighted at '().
*o not simply present the arguments others have o+ered and state
whether or not you agree. ,ou should develop your own response to
the arguments that have already been o+ered. ,ou should move the
debate forward. -ay something original.
The four criteria are not unrelated# e.g. if your paper is poorly
organi.ed it/s unli"ely to demonstrate compelling argumentation in
support of an insightful thesis.
-trong 0or" 1eeds *evelopment 2nsatisfactory
Thought%
Thesis%
Argument
'()
Eplicit insightful
thesis3 careful
original
argumentation3
compelling
reasoning with solid
evidence.
Thesis somewhat
unclear or
uninteresting3
ecessive summary3
some logical
missteps.
4bscure or no thesis3
little to no argument3
lots of unsupported
opinion3 no original
insight.
5larity 6
4rgani.ati
on
7()
8ogical ordering of
ideas3 easy to follow
train of thought3
transparent
reasoning3 each
paragraph
epresses a single
idea clearly.
9deas presented in
somewhat confusing
order3 logic of paper
as a whole not
obvious3 somewhat
bloated paragraphs.
8ittle or no logical
ordering of ideas3
stream of
consciousness3 no
purpose evident in
paragraphs3 not readily
understandable.
-ources 6
5itation
7()
Refers to relevant
sources
appropriately3
thorough tetual
support3 cites in
every instance3
:uotations are used
economically and
fully interpreted.
2sually refers to
sources when
appropriate,
ade:uate tetual
support3 cites in
every instance3 some
unnecessary direct
:uotations, some
lac"ing
interpretation.
9nade:uate reference
to sources, sources not
cited3 little or no
tetual support3
gratuitous direct
:uotation3 sources not
well incorporated into
paper.
;echanics%
*iction%
8anguage
<()
Almost &awless
grammar, spelling
and word choice3
great &uency3
natural transitions3
meaning is
transparent3 precise
language.
$rammar, spelling,
word choice need
attention3 sentences
lac"ing clarity3
somewhat wordy3
some synta errors.
These problems
begin to impede
understanding.
;any grammar,
spelling, word choice
problems3 many
sentences unclear or
unintelligible3 wordy3
numerous synta
errors. Problems
prevent
understanding.