Illinois State University Single-Unit Grading Standards© 2007 Illinois State University Writing Program
In an A-level unit / In a B-level unit / In a C-level unit / In a D-level unit / In an F-level unitReading and Writing Processes are demonstrated through . . . / evidence of the writer’s ability to
offer insightful responses to the reading of published texts ...
offer insightful responses to classmates’ texts. . .
incorporate the reading of student and professional texts into every . . .
make global, paragraph-and sentence- level revisions using a wide range of strategies . . .
frequently use teacher and peer response generatively. . . / evidence of the writer’s ability to
offer thoughtful responses to the reading of published texts. . .
offer thoughtful responses to classmates’ texts. . .
incorporate the reading of student and professional texts into almost every . . .
make global, paragraph-and sentence- level revisions using a variety of strategies
use teacher and peer response generatively. . . / evidence of the writer’s ability to
offer informed responses to the reading of published texts. . .
offer substantive responses to classmates’ texts. . .
incorporate the reading of student and professional texts into various stages . . .
make global or paragraph-level revisions; . . . sentence- and word-level revisions predominate
revise, generally in response to specific comments by teacher or peers. . . / sporadic evidence of the writer’s ability to
offer responses to the reading of published texts. . .
offer useful responses to classmates’ texts. . .
incorporate the reading of student and professional texts into . . . writing processes
revise at any level / little or no evidence of the writer’s ability to
offer responses to the reading of published texts. . .
offer useful responses to classmates’ texts. . .
incorporate the reading of student and professional texts into . . . writing processes
revise at any level
Rhetorical Situations are addressed in a manner that . . . / consistently demonstrates the writer’s ability to
perform skillfully in a variety of rhetorical situation. . .
choose and address ambitious topics and/or use innovative approaches
produce texts which are appropriate, occasionally even sophisticated, in identifying/addressing audiences
accomplish ambitious or innovative purposes in relation to his/her chosen topics and audiences
identify appropriate forums and adopt their conventions adeptly / frequently demonstrates the writer’s ability to
perform skillfully in a variety of rhetorical situations. . .
choose and address ambitious topics and/or use innovative approaches
produce texts which are appropriate in identifying/addressing audiences
accomplish ambitious or innovative purposes in relation to his/her chosen topics and audiences
identify appropriate forums and adopt their conventions skillfully / demonstrates the writer’s ability to
perform competently in a variety of rhetorical situations. . .
choose and address standard topics in appropriate ways
produce texts which identify various audiences, but evidence difficulty bridging knowledge or opinion gaps. . .
accomplish reasonable purposes in relation to his/her chosen topics and audiences
identify appropriate forums and attempt to adopt their conventions / suggests the writer’s inability or unwillingness to
perform competently in most rhetorical situations. . .
choose topics and address them appropriately
produce texts which identify and address various audiences, frequently assuming more or less . . . than is appropriate
accomplish reasonable purposes in relation to his/her chosen topics and audiences
identify appropriate forums and attempt to adopt their conventions / demonstrates the writer’s inability or unwillingness to
perform competently in most rhetorical situations. . .
choose topics and address them appropriately
produce texts which identify and address various audiences
accomplish even the most basic purposes in his/her writing
identify appropriate forums and attempt to adopt their conventions
the author’s Critical Thinking is demonstrated through . . . / his/her ability to consistently
describe phenomena or events clearly and effectively; analyze and interpret . . . beyond the obvious
state ideas clearly and effectively, provide substantial, fair, and well reasoned support for ideas, and . . . reflect the complexity of issues
insightfully analyze and evaluate alternative points of view
draw warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions
recognize and explain his/her own assumptions / his/her ability to frequently
describe phenomena or events clearly and effectively; analyze and interpret, often beyond the obvious
state ideas clearly and effectively, provide an effective amount of fair, well reasoned support for ideas, and . . . suggest the complexity of issues
thoughtfully analyze and evaluate alternative points of view
draw warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions
recognize and explain his/her own assumptions / his/her ability to
describe phenomena or events clearly and effectively; analysis and interpretation ... may be obvious or perfunctory
state ideas clearly and effectively and provide some fair, well reasoned support for ideas; . . . complexity . . . only rarely suggested or addressed
realistically analyze and evaluate alternative points of view
draw warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions
recognize and explain his/her own assumptions / his/her difficulty
describing phenomena or events clearly and effectively and analyzing and interpreting their possible meanings
stating ideas clearly and effectively or providing fair, well reasoned support; complexities . . . appear to elude him/her
realistically analyzing and evaluating alternative points of view
drawing warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions
recognizing and explaining his/her own assumptions / his/her inability or unwillingness to
describe phenomena or events clearly and effectively and analyze and interpret their possible meanings
state ideas clearly and effectively or provide fair, well reasoned support; complexities . . .appear to elude him/her
realistically analyze and evaluate alternative points of view
draw warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions
recognize and explain his/her own assumptions
SINGLE UNIT GRADING STANDARDS: Composition and Critical Inquiry, Illinois State University
STUDENT NAME ______SUBMISSION DATE ______ADVISORY GRADE ______INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS:
the author’s level of Information Literacy is demonstrated through . . . / the writer’s ability to
consistently draw upon experience/ observations . . . critically, generatively, and/or as support for/illustration of ideas
adeptly use human, internet & library resources at virtually every stage of process
frame insightful research questions
consistently select appropriate search tools; implement and refine search strategies; and assess, select, manage, and record search results
consistently identify relevant material and astutely evaluate sources / the writer’s ability to
frequently draw upon experience/ observations . . . critically, generatively, and/or as support for/illustration of ideas
skillfully use human, internet and library resources at virtually every stage of process
frame thoughtful research questions
frequently select appropriate search tools; implement and refine search strategies; and assess, select, manage, and record search results
frequently identify relevant material and thoughtfully evaluate sources / the writer’s ability to
occasionally draw upon experience/ observations . . . and connect to readings/ new situations; connections not fully integrated/explored
successfully use human, internet and library resources at some stages of process
frame relevant research questions
select appropriate search tools; implement and refine search strategies; and assess, select, manage, and record search results
identify relevant material and successfully evaluate sources / the writer’s difficulty
drawing upon experience/observations ... and connecting to readings/new situations; connections not integrated/ explored
using human, internet, and library resources at various stages of process
framing relevant research questions
selecting appropriate search tools; implementing and refining search strategies; and assessing, selecting, managing, and recording search results
identifying relevant material and successfully evaluating sources / the writer’s inability/unwillingness to
draw upon experience/observations. . . and connect to readings/new situations
use human, internet, and library resources at any stage of process
frame relevant research questions
select appropriate search tools; implement and refine search strategies; assess, select, manage, and record search results
identify relevant material and successfully evaluate sources
Structure & Style are reflected in texts that . . . / are consistently ambitious and mature, reflecting freshness of ideas, strategies, perspectives, and expression
move readers effortlessly though a complex presentation; structure of text is organic
consistently show writer’s keen eye for detail through effective texture of general and specific ideas
consistently offer creative/engaging openings; conclusions provide more than simple restatements of preceding ideas
include mature sentences of various types and lengths, apt word choices, effective use of metaphor and analogy, an appropriate tone, and a distinctive voice / are often ambitious and mature, generally reflecting freshness of ideas, strategies, perspectives, and expression
move readers easily though a fairly complex presentation; structure of text largely organic
generally show the writer’s eye for detail through effective texture of general and specific ideas
generally offer creative/engaging openings; conclusions generally provide more than restatements of preceding ideas
include sentences of various types and lengths, effective word choices, occasional use of metaphor and analogy, a generally appropriate tone, and a generally distinctive voice / are always competent and sometimes compelling, reflecting standard/familiar ideas, strategies, perspectives, and expression
move readers competently/mechanically through a straightforward presentation; text may be formulaic; paraphrase and repetition may replace development
show the writer’s ability to incorporate detail in support of a general idea, often in a somewhat formulaic/predictable manner
include opening strategies that rely on the assignment sheet or use a funnel strategy; conclusions tend to summarize
include sentences of a fairly uniform type and length, standard word choice, infrequent use of metaphor and analogy, generally appropriate tone, and a generically competent voice / are occasionally competent but rarely compelling, reflecting the writer’s inability or unwillingness to move beyond mundane ideas, strategies, perspectives, or manners of expression
often require readers to search for connections between ideas/guess at writer’s intent; readers tempted to abandon texts
substitute paraphrase and repetition for development of ideas/discussion of issues
may not offer any opening strategy or may offer openings unrelated to the texts; may lack sense of closure
may include incomprehensible sentences or boundary problems, incorrect or inappropriate word choice, no use of metaphor or analogy, and an inappropriate tone and/or voice / are rarely competent and never compelling
consistently require readers to search for connections between ideas/guess at writer’s intent; readers tempted to abandon texts
consist largely of a series of unrelated statements or passages unified only by a common topic or theme
may lack any sense of opening or closure
consistently include incomprehensible sentences or multiple boundary problems, incorrect or inappropriate word choice, no use of metaphor or analogy, and an inappropriate tone and/ or voice
Grammar & Mechanics. . . / while not necessarily perfect, consistently demonstrate the writer’s ability to construct and punctuate mature sentences without compromising rhetorical effectiveness or introducing stigmatized errors / while not necessarily perfect, frequently demonstrate the writer’s desire to construct and punctuate mature sentences without compromising rhetorical effectiveness or introducing stigmatized errors / while not necessarily perfect, generally demonstrate the writer’s ability to construct standard and sentences and punctuate them without compromising rhetorical effectiveness or introducing stigmatized errors / frequently display the kinds of errors that compromise the rhetorical effectiveness of individual works and may have some stigmatized errors, even a pattern of such errors / consistently display the kinds of errors that compromise the rhetorical effectiveness of individual works and may well have patterns of stigmatized errors
Unit Analysis/ W.P.Journal / demonstrates writer’s ability to insightfully analyze his/her writing, providing examples, and exploring how the texts were researched and revised, esp. noting use of teacher/peer comments / demonstrates writer’s ability to thoughtfully analyze his/her writing, providing examples and exploring how the texts were researched and revised, esp. noting use of teacher/peer comments / demonstrates writer’s ability to competently analyze his/her writing, providing examples and exploring how the texts were researched and revised, esp. noting the use of teacher/peer comments / suggests that the writer is unwilling or unable to competently analyze his/her work in the course / fails to analyze the writer’s work in the course
Unit Completeness shown through inclusion/submission of . . . / multiple drafts, evocative questions for response, responses from classmates, insightful responses to classmates’ drafts, substantive revisions, adept editing, and insightful unit analysis & W.P. Journal
individual texts long enough to success-fully engage tasks, generally 5-7 pages
consistent evidence of writer’s ability to complete assigned work promptly/adeptly
Incomplete units may not be graded A. / multiple drafts, thoughtful questions for response, responses from classmates, thought-provoking responses to classmates’ drafts, substantive revisions, thorough editing, and thoughtful unit analysis & W.P. Journal
individual texts long enough to success-fully engage tasks, generally 5-7 pages
consistent evidence of writer’s ability to complete assigned work promptly/skillfully
Incomplete units may not be graded B. / multiple drafts, questions for response, responses from classmates, complete responses to classmates’ drafts, substantive revisions, competent editing, and sound unit analysis & W.P. Journal
individual texts long enough to successfully engage tasks, generally 5-7 pages
consistent evidence of writer’s ability to complete all assigned work promptly
Incomplete units may not be graded C. / only some assigned drafts, questions for response, responses from classmates, and/or responses to classmates’ drafts; little/no evidence of substantive revision; insufficient editing; weak unit analysis & W.P. Journal
individual texts often too short to successfully engage the tasks
insufficient evidence of writer’s ability to complete assigned work promptly
Incomplete units may be graded D. / very few assigned drafts, questions for response, responses from classmates, and/or responses to classmates’ drafts; no evidence of revision, editing, research or analysis
individual texts consistently too short to successfully engage the tasks
no evidence of the writer’s ability to complete assigned work promptly
Incomplete units may be graded F.