ESSAY RUBRIC

The D essay is deficient in one or more areas / The C essay is competent, exhibiting no serious or frequent deficiencies / The B essay is strong in most areas. / The A essay excels in all areas.
Purpose / Lacks a clear thesis, or the thesis & ensuing analysis may be weak or overly general. Thesis and ensuing analysis lack any sort of thematic purpose. / Addresses the topic & offers a thesis. The thesis & analysis, however, may not explore the topic with sufficient complexity or it may be too broad. The argument lacks significant thematic purpose. However, the essay does meet minimum requirements. / Exhibits a clear sense of thematic purpose & audience, & has a sufficiently narrow focus. It explores the topic in some depth & with some complexity and thematic purpose. / Exhibits a strong sense of thematic purpose & audience, with a clearly defined focus, exhibiting depth & complexity in analysis & originality in thought.
Organization
Development / Fails to provide adequate support for its thesis; it may substitute repetition for development. It may lack coherence. Reads more like a random or vague analysis with no clear, central focus. Relies on summary &/or quotations rather than thoughtful commentary. Thesis is not sufficiently proven. / Offers support for its thesis; however, this support may not be evaluated or analyzed thoughtfully. Includes an introduction, body, & conclusion, & generally unified paragraphs. However, it may proceed formulaically or mechanically. May rely too heavily on summary &/or quotes rather than thoughtful commentary. Analysis may rely on stating the obvious. May make thoughtful statements, but does not prove them via thoroughly examined evidence & commentary. / Proceeds logically & offers appropriate support for its thesis. It is generally unified, with a clear introduction & coherent paragraphs. Its arguments address a thematic purpose & do not rely too heavily on stating the obvious and/or summary. The argument is clearly presented and relevant to the thesis. / Distinguished by sound logic. It offers sufficient & appropriate support for the thesis in the form of concrete, specific, & relevant evidence. It goes well beyond stating the obvious by introducing & thoughtfully addressing a thematic purpose. It is a unified essay that proceeds coherently with an effective introduction, well-developed & unified paragraphs, & graceful transitions.
Language / Often lacks variety in sentence structure & suffers from inappropriate diction &/or extremely awkward syntax. May use diction inappropriate in tone. Quotations are “floated” and/or awkwardly embedded. / Employs readable prose, but the sentences may be simple and lack variety. May use diction inappropriate in tone. Prose, at times, suffers from wordiness and/or awkward syntax. May rely heavily on the passive voice. Some Quotations may be “floated” and/or awkwardly embedded. / Sentences are sufficiently varied. Language is generally concise & appropriate. Uses the right word instead of the “biggest” word. Quotations are seamlessly blended and/or introduced with grammatical accuracy. / Sentences are skillfully crafted & effectively varied: language is fresh, precise, & economical. Maintains a consistent & appropriate tone. Quotations are seamlessly blended.
Mechanics / Characterized by grammatical errors such as but not limited to: fragments, comma splices, agreement errors, or inappropriate shifts in tense, voice, mood, or person. It may also be rife with spelling errors. / Employs generally correct grammar, syntax, & spelling. Errors, however, may be serious enough to detract from effectiveness. May include some errors in MLA format. Typical C level mechanics errors include issues in subject/verb agreement, tense, and comma usage. / Employs generally correct grammar, syntax, & spelling. Errors, when they appear, do not detract from the overall effectiveness of the essay. 1-2 MLA errors (possible). / Free of errors in grammar, syntax, & spelling. No MLA formatting errors.

The F essay is seriously deficient. It may exhibit a poor grasp of the assignment, or be deficient in one or more of the following areas: purpose, organization & development, language, & mechanics. It may lack a clear thesis or fail to support its thesis. Other common features of failing essays are: faulty logic, ineffective organization, incoherent paragraphs, incorrect diction, & so many syntactic & grammatical errors that the essay becomes unreadable. Evidence of plagiarism will also result in a grade of F.