APPENDIX D ~ Writing Standards – Writing Standards –Graduate Level (revised Spring 2012)
Criteria
| A excellent | B minimal expectations | C below
expectations | Comments |
Content
(quality of the information, ideas and supporting details.) | - shows clarity of purpose
- offers depth of content
- applies insight and represents original thinking
| - shows clarity of purpose
- offers substantial information and sufficient support
- represents some original thinking
| - shows clarity of purpose
-lacks depth of content and may depend on generalities or the commonplace - represents little original thinking
|
|
|
Structure
(logical order or sequence of the writing) | - is coherent and logically developed
-uses very effective transitions
| -is coherent and logically developed
-uses smooth transitions | -is coherent and logically (but not fully) developed
-has some awkward transitions |
|
|
Rhetoric and Style
(appropriate attention to audience) | - is concise, eloquent and rhetorically effective
- uses varied sentence structure
-is engaging throughout and enjoyable to read
| - displays concern for careful expression
- uses some variation in sentence structure
-may be wordy in places
| - displays some originality but lacks imagination and may be stilted
- uses little varied sentence structure
- frequently uses jargon and clichés
-uses generally clear but frequently wordy prose
|
|
|
Information Literacy
(locating, evaluating, and using effectively the needed information as appropriate to assignment) | - uses high-quality and reliable sources
- chooses sources from many types of resources
- chooses timely resources for the topic
- integrates references and quotations to support ideas fully
| - uses mostly high-quality and reliable sources
-chooses sources from a moderate variety of types of resources
-chooses resources with mostly appropriate dates - integrates references and quotations to provide some support for ideas
| -uses a few poor-quality or unreliable sources
-chooses sources from a few types of resources
-chooses a few resources with inappropriate dates
-integrates references or quotations that are loosely linked to the ideas of the paper |
|
|
Source Integrity
(appropriate acknowledgment of sources used in research) | - cites sources for all quotations
- cites credible paraphrases correctly
- includes reference page
- makes virtually no errors in documentation style
| - cites sources for all quotations
- usually cites credible paraphrases correctly
- includes reference page
- makes minimal errors in documentation style
| - has sources for all quotations
- has mostly credible paraphrases, sometimes cited correctly
- includes reference page with several errors
-makes several errors in documentation style.
|
|
|
Conventions
(adherence to grammar rules: usage, mechanics) | - uses well-constructed sentences
- makes virtually no errors in grammar and spelling
- makes accurate word choices
| - almost always uses well-constructed sentences
-makes minimal errors in grammar and spelling - makes accurate word choices
| - usually uses well-constructed sentences
- makes several errors
- makes word choices that distract the reader
|
|
|
The weighting of each of the six areas is dependent on the specific written assignment and the teacher's preference. Plagiarism occurs when one presents as one's own "someone else's language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source" (adapted from Council of Writing Program Administrators). |
| | |