A note on grading

Here are my grading criteria:

A: This paper goes well beyond the average expectations for the assignment. It has a good, clearly articulated thesis. It is well-organized. The style is elegant. The spelling and grammar are flawless. In addition to all this, the paper has a little "something extra"--it takes a new point of view or explores that point of view in a novel way. It contains, so to speak, the element of surprise.

B: This paper also goes beyond the expectations of the assignment. It is well organized and thoughtful, has an interesting thesis, and good, competent grammar and style. It goes without saying that the paper has been carefully proofread, although there may be one or two mistakes. Similarly, there may be a minor flaw in the argument.

C: This is the average paper (nota bene: C is average). It meets the expectations of the assignment. It has a thesis and a developed argument whose claims are supported competently. It is a C paper because it is average, no more; it makes no attempt to do more than fulfil basic requirements or provide a fresh perspective.

D: This paper has serious flaws in content or style or both. It may not have been proofread. It may be incoherent. The organization may be confusing or missing altogether. Often, this paper has no thesis, or at least not a thesis that works. Claims are made with no support, or there is a basic flaw in logic.

Occasionally I have been asked which is more important, style or content. The truth is that the two are inseparable. Theoretically it is possible to have a paper with brilliant ideas and poor style, but since the process of writing forces one to clarify one's meaning, and therefore one's thinking, this is rarely or never the case.

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