English Department
Dr. Murphy
Essay Grading Rubric
Score 01. Evades the topic
2. Is illegible
Score 11. Refers to the topic at some point
2. Contains little information
3. Noticeably brief
4. Minimal information is provided
5. Specific details are absent
6. Has mechanical errors which hinder understanding
Score 21. Refers to topic
“F” Range2. Contains minimal information
3. Details are overly general or largely absent
4. Lacks a clear organizational structure with digressions likely
5. May have mechanical or usage errors which hinder understanding
Score 31. Addresses specific topic
“D” Range2. Contains a reasonable amount of information but relies too much on generalizations, opinions, and evaluations.
3. Uses some specific details to support point of view
4. Shows some organization but may not use paragraphs
5. Mechanical errors may be noticeable but essay does not require re-reading
Score 41. Addresses topic
“C” Range2. Contains a substantial amount of information but still includes too much generalization
3. Uses sufficient detail to support the point of view
4. Uses specific details from the reading
5. Demonstrates a clear understanding of the readings
6. Shows organization (uses paragraph structure)
7. Mechanical errors do not hinder understanding
Score 51. Addresses topic thoughtfully; sustains thesis well
“B” Range2. Thorough report of information which is presented authoritatively
3. Demonstrates a clear, controlling organizational structure
4. Uses specific details to support each aspect of the report clearly
5. Demonstrates a clear understanding of the readings
6. Uses some sophisticated vocabulary
7. Mechanically competent
8. Demonstrates some sentence variety
Score 61. Addresses topic with sophistication and creativity; sustains thesis expertly
“A” Range2. Thorough and interesting approach to conveying information
3. Demonstrates a clear, controlling organizational structure
4. Uses specific details from the readings to clearly/credibly support each aspect of the paper
5. Demonstrates an in-depth/astute understanding of the readings
6. Uses appropriate/sophisticated diction consistently
7. Is virtually free of mechanical errors
8. Demonstrates sentence variety throughout
9. Has a strong, authoritative voice
9. Employs more sophisticated strategies (e.g., personal anecdotes, comparing and contrasting, creating a scenario)