Essay and Research Paper Grading Rubric

Professor Jay Aronson

Carnegie Mellon University
aronson@andrew.cmu.edu

Excellent Good Needs Improvement Poor F

Overall Author directly addresses main Author competently addresses Author attempts to address Essay does NOT address P
Impression question or issue, and adds new main question or issue, but main question or issue, but main question or issue, and it L
insight to the subject not does not add much new fails. The author has is obvious that author has not A
provided in lectures, readings, insight into the subject. That retained some information retained any information G
or class discussions. The author said, it is clear that the author from the course, but does from the course. I
has retained nearly all of the has learned a great deal in not fully understand its A
knowledge presented in class. class and is able to meaning or context and R
He/She is able to synthesize this communicate this knowledge cannot clearly convey it to I
knowledge in new ways and to others. others. S
relate to material not covered in M
the course.
Argument Essay contains a clear argument An argument is present, but Author attempts, but fails, No attempt is made to
—i.e., lets the reader know reader must reconstruct it to make an argument (e.g., articulate an argument.
exactly what the author is trying from the text. starts with a rhetorical
to communicate. question/statement or
anecdote that is never put
into context).
Evidence Provides compelling and Provides necessary evidence Not enough evidence is Either no evidence is
accurate evidence that to convince reader of most provided to support provided, or there are
convinces reader to accept main aspects of the main argument author’s argument, or numerous factual mistakes,
argument. The but not all. The importance/ evidence is incomplete, omissions or
importance/relevance of all relevance of some evidence incorrect, or oversimplifications. There is
pieces of evidence is clearly presented may not be totally oversimplified. little or no mention of
stated. There are no gaps in clear. Reader must make a few Information from lectures information from lectures
reasoning—i.e., the reader does mental leaps or do some and readings is not and readings.
not need to assume anything or additional research to fully effectively used.
do additional research to accept accept all aspects of main
main argument. argument.
Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University 1
 Excellent Good Needs Improvement Poor F
Counter-Evidence The author considers the Author acknowledges that Author acknowledges No acknowledgement of
evidence, or alternate counter-evidence or some of the most obvious counter-evidence or
interpretations of evidence, that alternative interpretations counter-evidence and alternative interpretations.
could be used to refute or exists, and lists them fully, alternative explanations,
weaken his/her argument, and but does not effectively but is not comprehensive
thoughtfully responds to it. explain to reader why his/her in this task. There is little
argument still stands. or no attempt made to
respond to them.
Sources Evidence is used from a wide Evidence is used from many Uses only a few of the Does not use sources, only
range of sources, including sources, but author relies sources provided in class, minimally uses sources
Note: You should lectures and course readings. heavily on a more limited set or does not go beyond provided by instructor, or
always consult When required, author also of sources. Some effort is what has been provided by relies exclusively on non-
the assignment consults scholarly books, made to go beyond material professor when required to scholarly outside sources.
description to websites, journal articles, etc. presented in class when do additional research.
find out what not explicitly discussed in required, but not much. If
kinds of sources class. outside sources are used, they
are required. are primarily non-scholarly
(i.e., intended for a general
audience) and/or web-based.
Citations All evidence is properly cited All evidence is cited in Some pieces are No attempt is made to cite
in footnotes or endnotes. footnotes or endnotes, but unreferenced or evidence.
there are some minor inaccurately referenced,
problems with completeness and there are problems
or format of some citations. with completeness and
format of citations.

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University 2

 Excellent Good Needs Improvement Poor F
Organization Essay contains an intro, main Essay contains an intro, main Essay contains an intro, Essay has no clear
body, and conclusion. body, and conclusion. The main body, and conclusion. organizational pattern.
Introduction lays out main introduction lays out the main The introduction gives the
argument and gives an outline argument but gives the reader reader an idea of what to
of what the reader can expect in little idea of what to expect in expect in the paper, but
the essay. The conclusion the essay. The conclusion does not effectively lay out
brings everything together, nicely summarizes the main the main argument. It may
acknowledges potential argument and evidence, but begin with a set of
shortcomings of the paper, and does not move beyond what rhetorical questions, or an
gives the reader a sense of what has already been presented in anecdote that is never fully
further work might be done to the paper. explained. The conclusion
advance the subject matter does little more than restate
described in the paper. the problematic
introduction. Intro and/or
conclusion may be too
wordy or short.
Clarity and All sentences are grammatically All sentences are A few sentences are Paper is full of grammatical
Style correct and clearly written. No grammatically correct and grammatically incorrect or errors and bad writing.
words are misused or clearly written. An occasional not clearly written. Several Several words are misused.
unnecessarily fancy. Technical word is misused or words are misused. Technical terms, words from
terms, words from other unnecessarily fancy. Technical terms, words other languages, and words
languages, and words from Technical terms, words from from other languages, and from other historical periods
other historical periods are other languages, and words words from other historical are rarely explained. Not all
always explained. All from other historical periods periods are rarely information is accurate and
information is accurate and up- are usually, but not always, explained. Not all up-to-date. Paper has not
to-date. Paper has been spell- explained. All information is information is accurate and been spell-checked or
checked AND proofread accurate and up-to-date. up-to-date. Paper has been proofread, and contains
(ideally by you and somebody Paper has been spell-checked spell-checked AND numerous errors. Reader has
else), and contains no errors. AND proofread, and contains proofread, but still contains a difficult time understanding
no more than a few minor several errors. Reader’s essay because of errors.
errors, which do not adversely ability to understand essay
affect the reader’s ability to may be compromised by
understand the essay. these errors.

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University 3