Essay Grading Rubric

|Grade |A: Excellent |B: Good |C: Adequate |D: Marginal |F: Inadequate |
|Response to Task |Contains all required |Contains most required |Contains some required |Contains few required |Does not address question |
| |elements and sections; no |elements and sections; |elements and sections; some|elements and sections; many |or task; fundamental errors|
| |errors in formatting; |few errors in |errors in formatting; |errors in formatting; |in formatting; wholly |
| |completes assignment |formatting; completes |completes assignment |significant parts of |mis-understands assignment.|
| |exactly as required. |assignment almost as |generally as required. |assignment incomplete or | |
| | |required. | |inappropriate. | |
|Analysis |Insightful, original |Strong analysis that |Simple analysis that at |Very little analysis; some |No analysis; use of theory |
| |analysis; excellent |frequently goes beyond |times goes beyond obvious |use of theory, but |absent or wholly incorrect;|
| |use/understanding of |obvious or surface |or surface meanings; use/ |insufficient and/or incorrect|no discernible thesis. |
| |theory; essay fully |meanings; good use/ |understanding of theory |in several ways; thesis is | |
| |controlled by precise, |understanding of |adequate in most sections, |vague or not central to | |
| |well-defined thesis. |theory; thesis |but missing and/or |essay. | |
| | |appropriate and central|incorrect in others; | | |
| | |to the essay, but may |general thesis or | | |
| | |lack some precision. |controlling idea is | | |
| | | |evident, but some key | | |
| | | |elements may not be clearly| | |
| | | |stated. | | |
|Support/ |Fully supports all |Supports most arguments|Supports most arguments |Provides insufficient/ |Fails entirely to support |
|Argument |arguments with relevant |with relevant evidence |with limited, but adequate |irrelevant evidence and/or |arguments with evidence or |
| |evidence and |and clear, consistent |evidence and reasoning; |poor reasoning to support |reasoning, and/or |
| |well-developed, persuasive|reasoning. |essay contains too much |several key arguments; |misrepresents evidence used|
| |reasoning. | |description; some arguments|essay tends towards |to support arguments; |
| |