Grading Standards

Grading Standards for Writing

Excellent, Outstanding (A)

CONTENT: A significant central idea clearly defined, and supported with concrete, substantial, and consistently relevant detail. Tone is consistent and appropriate. Audience awareness is apparent. The writer’s voice is present throughout. The paper has an authority of its own.
ORGANIZATION: Transitions are smooth, not mechanical. There is no extraneous information; consistent attention is paid to proportion and emphasis. The writer is in control of the material.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Sentences are varied with attention to style and rhythm. Structures are graceful, fluent, and suited to the meaning of the paper.
DICTION: Distinctive—fresh, precise, interesting, and economical. There is a sensitivity to connotative as well as denotative meanings, and an absence of clutter and hackneyed expressions.
GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND SPELLING: There are virtually no mechanical errors.

Above Average (B)

CONTENT: Significant central idea is ambitious and generally well-supported, but occasionally details are missing. The reader may feel the need for more illustrations or examples in some parts of the paper. Some examples may be slightly forced or exaggerated. Tone is reasonably well-maintained, but there are lapses in consistency or appropriateness. Some audience awareness is demonstrated. The essay is developed in accordance with purpose.
ORGANIZATION: Organization is clear and logical. Paragraphs are unified, coherent, and effectively developed, but some transitions may be awkward or abrupt.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Sentences have some variety and are generally unified and coherent. Some structures may be awkward or wordy.
DICTION: Choices are workable and clear, but words (especially verbs) may lack freshness or strength. Denotative meanings are precise, but the writer may lack sensitivity to some connotative meanings. There is a general absence of clutter and clichés.
GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND SPELLING: Some errors in internal punctuation (commas, semi-colons). There may be a few spelling errors in words that are not frequently in the writer’s ideolect.

Average (C)

CONTENT: Central idea apparent but trivial, trite, or too general. Topic supported with concrete detail, but detail that is generally repetitious, irrelevant, or just plain sketchy. Little attention is paid to tone and audience awareness.
ORGANIZATION: Plan and method of essay apparent but not consistently fulfilled—developed with only occasional disproportion or inappropriate emphasis. Paragraphs are unified, coherent, and somewhat effective in their development. Transitions between paragraphs are clear but abrupt, mechanical or monotonous.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Sentences are correctly constructed but lacking distinction. There is little or no variation in structure. Phrases are often awkwardly placed.
DICTION: Word choices are clear and idiomatic, but the paper is characterized by wordiness and clichés.
GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND SPELLING: The clarity and effectiveness of expression is weakened by occasional deviations from standard grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Poor, Below Average (D)

CONTENT: Central idea confused, or unsupported with concrete and relevant detail. There is little, if any, audience awareness or attempt to create tone.
ORGANIZATION: The plan and purpose of the essay is not apparent. Development is poor or done with irreverence, redundancy, or inconsistency. The paragraphs are incoherent or undeveloped. Transitions are either ineffective or non-existent.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Sentences are incoherent, incomplete, monotonous, and simple.
DICTION: Inappropriate—vague, unidiomatic, or substandard.
GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND SPELLING: Communication is obscured by frequent deviations from standard grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Unacceptable, Failure (F)

CONTENT: The essay has no central idea; there is no audience awareness, and the essay may also be quite short. The writer has no concept of tone and little, if any, control over the thoughts presented.
ORGANIZATION: The essay lacks a purpose or a plan.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE and DICTION: The essay shows a pattern of errors at the sentence level. The sentences are occasionally incoherent, and there may be a lack of logical connections between the sentences.
GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND SPELLING: Communication is often obscured by frequent deviations from standard grammar, punctuation, and spelling. There are multiple errors in subject/verb agreement, noun/pronoun agreement, tense shifts, etc. Misspellings of common words such as their/they’re/there, its/ it’s, to/too, you’re/your, causes the writing to appear substandard.