| Criterion | Excellent | Good | In progress | Novice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Grasp of course content (15 points) | 14-15 pts: Shows full grasp of course content by correctly engaging 3 or more course concepts. Engaging concepts includes defining them and explaining how they help understand the theme of the paper. | 11-13 pts: Addresses at least 3 concepts. Shows understanding of roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the concepts addressed. | 9-10 pts: Addresses at least 2 concepts. Shows understanding of half of the concepts addressed. | 0-8 pts: Understands less than half of the concepts addressed. 5 points given for trying to engage with 1 or more concepts. |
Critical thinking and analysis (20 points) | 18-20 pts: Argument is very well-formed with evidence from modules or other sources to support it. The argument and analysis respond directly to the assignment prompt. | 15-17 pts: Argument is thoughtful and has some evidence to support it, but it may have gaps or it may rely on unsupported assumptions. The argument is not convincing. | 12-14 pts: Argument engages poorly with course concepts or assignment questions. It may be contradictory or rely heavily on unsupported assumptions. Critical thinking is insufficient. | 0-11 pts: There’s hardly an argument, or it is difficult to follow. Alternatively, the argument and analysis may be good, but do not respond to the assignment prompt. |
Meeting assignment requirements (8 points) | Paper Addressing 3+ course concepts: 4 pts Addressing all assignment questions: 4 pts | |||
Writing and citations (7 points) | 7 pts: Paper is well-written and free of grammar and spelling errors. Paper is correctly cited. | 5-6 pts: Fair writing, with a few mistakes. Easy to understand. | 3-4 pts: Poor writing, several mistakes. Requires effort to understand. | 1-2 pts: Very poor writing, with several mistakes. Difficult to understand. |