EssayRubric

**9-Point Rubric for Writing about Literature**

**Score 8-9**
 * Responds to the prompt clearly, directly, and fully.
 * Approaches the text analytically.
 * Supports a coherent thesis with evidence from the text
 * Explains how the evidence illustrates and reinforces its thesis.
 * Employs subtlety in its use of the text.
 * Writer’s style is fluent and flexible.
 * Free of mechanical and grammatical errors.

**Score 6-7**
 * Responds to the assignment clearly and directly but with less development
 * Demonstrates a good understanding of the text.
 * Supports its thesis with appropriate textual evidence.
 * While its approach is analytical, the analysis is less precise
 * Use of the text is competent but not subtle.
 * Writing in this paper is forceful and clear
 * Few if any grammatical and mechanical errors.

**Score 5**
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Addresses the assigned topic intelligently but does not answer it fully and specifically.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Characterized by a good but general grasp of the text using the text to frame an apt response to the prompt.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May employ textual evidence sparingly or offer evidence without attaching it to the thesis.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Essay is clear and organized but may be somewhat mechanical.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Paper may also be marred by grammatical and mechanical errors.

**Score 3-4**
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Fails in some important way to fulfill the demands of the prompt.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May not address part of the assignment, fail to provide minimal textual support for its thesis, or
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">base its analysis on a misreading of some part of the text.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May present one or more incisive insights among others of less value.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Writing may be similarly uneven in development with lapses in organization, clarity, grammar, and mechanics.

**Score 1-2**
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Commonly combines two or more serious failures.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May not address the actual assignment.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May indicate a serious misreading of the text.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May not offer textual evidence.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May use it in a way that suggests a failure to understand the text.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">May be unclear, badly written, or unacceptably brief.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Style of this paper is usually marked by egregious errors.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Occasionally a paper in this range is smoothly written but devoid of content.

9 = A+ (96-100) 8 = A- (92-95) 7 = B+ (88-91) 6 = B- (83-87) 5 = C (74-82) 4 = D+ (70-73) 3 = D- (65-69) 2 = F (51-64) 1 = F (0-50)
 * Grade Conversion**