Formal Essay Grading Rubric

NOTE: The numbers in parentheses represent the point value for the first and final drafts. Each
bullet, then, is worth 2 points for the first draft and 4 points for the final draft.

Topic/Title (6/12 points)

Choosing a topic and title are two of the most important parts of developing your essay. They
also may be two of the most difficult parts. In summation, a good topic and title:
 interest you, and will interest your audience;
 are specific;
 and provoke deep and detailed discussion.

Introduction (8/16 points)

By providing an introduction that helps your readers make a transition between their own world
and the issues you will be addressing, you give them the tools they need to get into and care
about your topic. A vague, disorganized, error-filled, off-the-wall, or boring introduction will
probably create a negative impression. On the other hand, a concise, engaging, and well-done
introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of you, your analytical skills, and your
essay. Your introduction is also an important road map for the rest of your essay. You can let
your readers know what your topic is, why it is important, and how you plan to proceed with
your discussion. Finally, your introduction should capture your readers’ interest, making them
want to read the rest of your essay. Opening with a compelling story, a fascinating quotation, an
interesting question, or a stirring example can get your readers to understand why this topic
matters, and can serve as an invitation for them to join you for an interesting intellectual
conversation after reading your essay. In summation, a strong introduction:
 defines/states the topic in a compelling way;
 provides an appropriate amount of background information;
 limits the scope of the discussion;
 and presents the plan of the essay, including your argument/viewpoint/conclusions.

Thesis (8/16 points)

Your thesis needs to be interesting because it needs to capture a reader’s attention. If your
audience reads your thesis and asks, "So what?” your thesis has failed to do its job, and chances
are your essay has as well. Thus, make your thesis provocative and open to reasonable
disagreement, but then make your case persuasively enough to sway those who might disagree.
A good thesis goes beyond the obvious and incontestable, merely describing something. A better
thesis tells your audience what you think, offering a reading or interpretation. Two useful ways
of thinking about this are to consider the impetus for and/or implications of a particular
phenomenon. Additionally a thesis can also be constructed as roadmap or blueprint for your
project. In summation, a good thesis:
 expresses one main idea;
  tackles a subject with which a reasonable audience could disagree (i.e. justifies
discussion);
 addresses the impetuses for and/or implications of the study;
 and asserts your conclusion about (i.e. takes a position regarding) the subject.

Organization (8/16 points)

When ideas are developed in some sort of order, your audience can understand them more easily.
The information in your essay will be easier to understand, discuss, and remember. In addition, if
you choose a clear, recognizable pattern for each paragraph and your essay overall, you will find
it easier to select details and choose transitions, and you will also help your audience to discover
relationships that connect things and make things seem more coherent. In summation, a well-
organized essay:
 illustrates a clear and recognizable pattern for the overall project;
 illustrates a clear and recognizable pattern for each paragraph;
 contains effective transitions between all ideas within each paragraph;
 and contains effective transitions in the overall essay.

Development (6/12 points)

In any carefully constructed essay, paragraphs are not just careless groups of sentences about a
common topic; a thoughtfully constructed paragraph builds upon the foundation laid by the
thesis and works in harmony with the other paragraphs. Each paragraph should serve a specific
purpose related to the thesis—to explain a relevant idea, provide background information, argue
a supporting point, or offer a counterargument. A paragraph that does not serve any of these
purposes may be unnecessary. Avoid rambling that distracts your audience from the focus or
purpose of the essay and weakens the logical flow of the argument. To avoid unnecessary fillers,
include only relevant information that meaningfully supports the thesis. Also, examine the theme
in each paragraph to ensure that you do not repeat a point that has already been discussed. If
redundancy is an issue, include only paragraphs that make the point with clarity and concision.
The most relevant material from two similar paragraphs may also be combined to reduce
redundancy. In addition, while the connection between a paragraph and the thesis may be clear to
you, your audience may not be able to find the link. The point of each paragraph and its
relationship to the thesis should be clearly implied or directly stated. If the paragraph is
addressing a sub-point or an idea that is more subtly related to the thesis, make the relationship
clear. In summation, a well-developed essay:
 only contains ideas that are essential to the understanding of the argument/thesis;
 makes clear—implicitly or explicitly—the intended point of each paragraph;
 and contains ideas that are clearly connected—implicitly or explicitly—to the other ideas
in the essay.

Supporting Evidence (6/12 points)

When you write an essay, many of the claims you make will be drawn from common knowledge,
which you share with your audience. However, if your entire essay consists of common
knowledge, it won't be very interesting. You'll just be telling your audience what they most likely
already know, stating the obvious. Your thesis would be neither controversial nor
informative. Sometimes, you will make claims your audience will accept on your authority—for
example, a personal experience that illustrates your point. But unless your essay is entirely about
your own experience (and it shouldn’t be in this case), your audience probably won't accept your
word for everything. Evidence is information that answers the question, "How do you know?"
regarding a claim you’ve made. Please take that question very literally. At first, it is often hard to
tell the difference between telling your audience what you know and telling them how you know
it. But to be effective in almost any context, you need to be able to ask this question repeatedly
and test the answers you give for effectiveness. On the other hand, be sure not to rely too heavily
on secondary sources. Use them to support your thesis rather than adapting your thesis to suit
your sources. Avoid the trap of simply collecting the opinions of others and rearranging them—
otherwise, your audience might as well engage those sources rather than your project. In
summation, effective supporting evidence:
 is appropriately current/relevant;
 is appropriately credible, appealing to proper authorities considering the essay;
 and does not misrepresent the opinions of authorities.

Conclusion (8/16 points)

Just as your introduction acts as a bridge that transports your readers from their own lives into
the "place" of your analysis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your readers make the
transition back to their daily lives. Such a conclusion will help them see why your analysis
should matter to them after they finish reading your essay. More than just a mere summary of
your essay, your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion
allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised in your essay, to summarize your
thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view
of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression and to end on a
positive note. The conclusion also allows you to consider broader issues, make new connections,
and elaborate on the significance of your findings. Your conclusion should make your read glad
they read your essay, because it gives them something to take away that will help them see things
differently or appreciate your topic in personally relevant ways. In summation, a good
conclusion:
 communicates the significance of the essay;
 goes beyond mere summary, and creatively reiterates your thesis;
 propels your audience toward a new view on the subject;
 and considers and makes connections to broader issues/implications.

Total 50/100 points